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THE 


First  Church, 


ORANGE,     N.    J. 


(Dnc  *jmwtml  and  Jiftwth  ^nnivMiSMy, 


November   24  and  25,  I860. 


MEMORIAL 


They  shall  still  bring  forth  fruit  in  old  age." 


PUBLISHED      FOR     THE     SESSION, 

BY   JENNINGS   BROTHERS,  PRINTERS,  NEWARK,  N.  J. 

187  0. 


*Cf>,    tf?at    I  were    an    Grange    tree, 

Tfrat   busy   plant  ! 
Tl)en   should   I  ever   laden    be, 

Jflnd  never   want 
Some  fruit  for  !Him  t/?at  dressetf?  me. 

George  Herbert. 


CONTENTS 


I.     Introduction. 
II.     Sermon,  by  Rev.  E.  Mix,  Pastor. 

HE.     Inauguration  of  Mural  Tablet,  by  Rev.  W. 
H.  Green,  D.  D. 

IV.     Historical    Discourse,  by  Rev.  E.  H.  Gil- 
lett,  D.  D. 

V.     Poem,  by  A.  D.  F.  Randolph,  Esq. 

VI.     Rev.  James  Hoyt,  with  Recollections  of  his 
Pastorate,  by  Stephen  Wickes,  M.  D. 


I. 

l(tTf^ODUCTIO|t 


BY    THE 


COMMITTEE    OF    PUBLICATION. 


"The  Lord  our  God  be  with  us,  as  He  was  with  our 
fathers.  Let  Him  not  leave  us  nor  forsake  us;  that  He 
may  incline  our  hearts  unto  Him,  to  walk  in  all  His 
ways,  and  to  keep  His  commandments,  and  His  statutes, 
and   His  judgments,   which   He  commanded  our  fathers." 

I.  Kings,  viii :   57,  58. 


INTRODUCTION. 


HE  preliminary  steps  for  the  commemoration  of 
the    One   Hundred  and  Fiftieth  Anniversary   of 
the  First  Church  of  Orange,  were  taken  by  its 
Session  on  the  17th  of  June,  1868. 

A  Committee,  appointed  at  that  time,  reported  in  due 
season  a  circular  of  invitation  to  those  interested  in  the  past 
history  of  the  Church,  and  an  order  of  exercises  for  the  anni- 
versary occasion,  which  was  formally  adopted. 

The  circular  was  issued  in  the  month  of  October,  and  was 
as  follows  : 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Orange  closes  with  the  present  year  the 
One  Hundred  and  Fiftieth  of  its  existence  as  a  Church  Organization.  Its  Officers 
and  .Members  deem  the  event  worthy  of  special  remembrance,  recalling,  as  it  does, 
the  goodness  of  God  which  has  distinguished  its  history  in  the  past,  and  inviting  us  to 
celebrate  His  mercies  in  the  undiminished  vigor  and  prosperity  of  its  old  age. 

We  propose  to  celebrate  the  Anniversary  of  its  foundation  on  the  ii,tk  and  25th 
days  of  November  next ;  and  we  cordially  invite  all  its  sons  and  daughters,  and  all 
others  who,  in  any  way,  are  associated  with  its  history,  to  unite  with  us  on  that  occa- 
sion in  commemorative  religious  services,  and  social  christian  reunion. 

Our  hearts  and  homes  will  be  open  to  all  those  whose  past  history  has  inspired 
them  with  a  love  for  our  Zion,  and  sympathy  in  its  welfare. 

We  invite  a  reply  from  you  at  your  earliest  convenience. 

Eldridge  Mix,  Pastor, 
Stephen  Wickes, 
Henry  N.  Beach, 
Orange,  Oct.  6,  x86g.  Committee  0/ Session. 


10  FIRST  CHURCH,  ORANGE. 

The  Exercises  on  the  24th  and  25th  of  November  were  in 
accordance  with  the  Programme,  which  was  printed  for  the 
occasion  : 


F«t°<f"lM«P  E 


'jetomlBB  ©vetting,  7j  tftUtl< 


Voluntary By  Choir. 

INVOCATION. 
Opening  Hymn By  Rev.  W.  Bradley.* 

Eternal,  ever  gracious  God,  Our  fathers'  God  we  own  as  our?, 

The  portion,  and  unfailing  trust  Nor  would  we  ingrate  children  prove  ; 

Of  worthies,  who  this  ground  once  trod,  But  consecrate  to  Thee  our  powers, 

But  now  are  sleeping  in  the  dust.  In  steadfast  faith  and  earnest  love. 

Those  noble  men  we  honor  still,  O  help  us  celebrate  this  day, 

Who  'mid  privations,  toils  and  fears,  That  crowns  the  hundred  fifticih  year, 

Their  high  commission  did  fulfill—  And  while  we  wait,  and  praise,  and  pray, 

Foundations  laid  for  future  years.  Reveal  Thy  gracious  presence  here. 

READING   OF   SCRIPTURE. 

PRAYER. 

HYMN. 

Sermon By   Rev.    E.  Mix,   Pastor. 

INAUGURATION    OF   THE   MEMORIAL   TABLET 

OF 

Rf.v'ds  Dan'i.  Taylor  and  Caleb  Smith,  by  Rf.v.  W.  Henry  Green,  D.  D., 
A  lineal  descendant  of  the  latter. 

DOXOLOGY   AND    BENEDICTION. 

*  A  Member  of  the  Congregation. 


INTRODUCTION.  11 

,  3  o'riort,  §.  p. 


Psalm  90. — From  Rev.  Cotton  Mather's  Collections,  1718. 

Lord,  Thou  hast  evermore  to  us  ||  an  habitation  been,  ||  from  one  Age  to  another 
Age  ||  sweetly  protecting  us.  || 

Before  the  Mountains  were  brought  forth  ||  or  Thou  hadst  formed  the  earth  ||  and 
world,  even  from  Age  to  Age  ||  Thou  art  the  Mighty  God.  || 

To  them  that  are  thy  Servants  now  l|  O  let  thy  work  be  seen ;  ||  thy  glory  also 
unto  those  ||  that  are  thy  children  here.  || 

And  let  the  lovely  brightness  of  ||  the  Lord  who  is  our  God,  ||  with  a  conspicuous 
lustre  be  \\  seen  shining  upon  us ;  ||  and  the  work  of  our  hands,  do  Thou  ||  establish 
upon  us  ;   ||  yea,  the  work  of  our  hands  do  Thou  ||  firmly  establish  it.  || 

PRAYER. 
Psalm  48 From  Tate  &  Brady's  Collection. 

My  soul  for  help  on  God  relies, 

From  Him  alone  my  safety  flows  : 
My  Rock,  my  health  that  strength  supplies, 

To  bear  the  shock  of  all  my  foes. 

God  does  His  saving  health  dispense, 

And  flowing  blessings  daily  send  ; 
He  is  my  fortress  and  defence, 

On  Him  my  soul  shall  still  depend. 

In  Him,  ye  people,  always  trust, 

Before  His  throne  pour  out  your  hearts  ; 
For  God,  the  merciful  and  just, 

His  timely  aid  to  us  imparts. 

Historical  Discourse By  Rev.  E.  H.  Gillett,  D.  D. 

CORONATION    HYMN. 
BENEDICTION. 


12  FIBBT  rnrrj'TL  ORANGE. 

S&urjeitfHjj  (getting,  7j  o^iocfe 


Voluntary By  Choir. 

PRAYER. 

Poem By  A.   D.  F.  Randolph,  Esq. 

DISCOURSE. 

REV.  Ja.MES  HOYT,  with  Recollections  of  his  Pastorate, 

By  STEPHEN  WlCKES,   M.   D.,   Member  of  Session. 

Closing    Hymn ? By  Rev.  W.  Bradley. 


Our  gracious  God  and  Saviour, 

In  closing,  help  us  raise 
To  Thee  our  hearts  and  voices 

In  thankfulness  and  praise. 
We  thank  Thee  for  our  Birthright 

As  children  of  the  Free  ! 
And  all  our  common  blessings, 

Which  come  direct  from  Thee. 

For  this  enjoyed  re-union 

Of  cherished,  Christian  friends; 
For  every  reminiscence 

Which,  in  its  nature  tends 
To  bind  our  hearts  together, 

And  make  us  truly  one : 
For  this  delightful  service, 

Tike  Heaven  on  earth  begun, 

We  offer  our  thanksgivings 

With  earnest  heart  and  voice: 
We  sing  of  thy  salvation, 
And  in  thy  strength  rejoice. 


We  thank  Thee  for  the  Fathers— 

For  all  their  work  well  done, 
And  all  they  left  unfinished ; 
rk  for  us  begun. 

May  we  be  found  as  faithful — 

As  steadfast  and  as  true — 
The  glory  of  the  Master 

Our  highest  end  in  view. 
And  when  our  work  is  finished, 

And  we  go  home  to  rest, 
With  transport  and  with  wonder 

We'll  sing  among  the  blest. 

And  now  to  God  our  Father, 

And  God,  His  only  Son, 
And  God,  the  Holy  Spirit— 

The  Blessed  Three  in  One  : 
Whom  Saints  delight  to  honor, 
And  angels  all  adore  ; 

•  y.  praise  and  blessing, 
•r,  evermore. 


RE-UNION IN  LIBRARY    HALL. 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

The  interior  of  the  church  was  appropriately  decorated 
with  evergreens,  two  shields  being  placed  on  either  side  of  the 
facade  above  and  back  of  the  pulpit,  with  the  figures  in  ever- 
green, "  1719,"  u  1869."  The  outer  border  of  the  reading 
desk  was  trimmed  with  lichens  gathered  from  the  ancient 
headstones  of  the  old  parish  burying  place  ;  and  an  anchor 
was  attached  to  the  centre  front  made  from  the  same,  taken 
from  the  monuments  of  the  first  two  ministers  of  the  church. 

During  the  services  of  the  second  evening,  the  pastor,  after 
the  reading  of  the  poem,  led  forward  on  his  arm  the  venerable 
Cyrus  Jones,  Esq.,  a  native  of  Orange,  and  introduced  him  to 
the  assembly  as  the  oldest  member  of  the  church,  and  the  oldest 
citizen  of  the  town,  being  in  the  one  hundredth  year  of  his 
age.  The  congregation,  rising,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  pastor, 
sang,  "Praise  God,"  &c,  to  the  tune  of  "  Old  Hundred." 

The  following  report  of  the  original  Committee  of  Arrange- 
ments was  presented  to  the  Session,  and  adopted  on  the  28th 
of  December,  1869  : 

Your  Committee  would  respectfully  report,  that  according  to  previous  arrange- 
ments, the  One  Hundred  and  Fiftieth  Anniversary  of  this  Church  was  celebrated  on 
the  24th  and  25th  days  of  November ;  the  exercises  consisting  of  a  sermon  by  the 
Pastor;  an  historical  discourse,  by  Rev.  E.  H.  Gillett,  D.  D. ;  an  inaugural  address, 
at  the  unveiling  of  the  tablet  commemorating  the  first  two  ministers  of  the  church,  by 
Rev.  W.  Henry  Green,  D.  D. ;  a  history  of  the  ministry  of  Rev.  James  Hoyt,  by 
Stephen  Wickes,  M.  D. ;  and  a  poem  by  A.  D.  F.  Randolph,  Esq. ;  concluded 
by  a  re-union  in  Library  Hall. 


14  FIRST  CEURCH,  ORANGE. 

Your  Committee  propose  the  adoption  of  the  following  Resolution,  and  its  trans- 
mission to  each  of  the  persons  named,  not  connected  with  the  Church,  who  added  so 
greatly  to  the  interest  of  the  occasion  : 

Resolved,  That  the  grateful  acknowledgments  of  this  Church  are  due,  and  in  its 
behalf,  and  as  its  representatives,  we  do  hereby  tender  them  to  Rev.  E.  H.  Gillett, 
D.  D.,  and  Rev.  W.  Henry  Green,  D.  D.,  for  their  valuable  addresses,  and  to  A.  D. 
F.  Randolph,  Esq.,  for  his  excellent  poem,  so  kindly  prepared  and  delivered  at  our 
One  Hundred  and  Fiftieth  Anniversary;  and  also  request  a  copy  of  the  same  for 
publication. 

The  sermon  by  the  Pastor  of  the  church,  and  the  discourse 
on  the  pastorate  of  the  Rev.  James  Hoyt,  were  also  requested 
for  publication,  and  the  original  Committee  of  Arrangements 
were  appointed  by  the  Session  a  Committee  of  Publication. 


II. 

SER,p©fl 


BY 


REV.     ELDRIDGE      MIX, 

Pastor  of  the  Church:. 


"That  the  generations  to  come  might  know  them, 
even  the  children  which  should  be  born,  who  should 
arise  and  declare  them  to  their  children,  that  they 
might  set  their  hope  in  God  and  not  forget  the  works 
of  God,  but  keep  His  commandments." 

Psalm  Ixxviii :  G,  7. 


SERMON 


Exodus  xii :  2G — "  What  mean  ye  by  this  service  f 


0  commemorate  important  events  of 
the  past,  is  both  natural  and  every  way 
befitting.  The  citizens  of  a  nation  which 
they  love,  whose  name  is  their  boast,  and  whose 
history  is  their  pride,  are  prompted,  as  if  by 
instinct,  and  by  a  sense  of  what  is  becoming,  in 
some  suitable  manner,  gratefully  to  celebrate  the 
event  which  gave  it  birth,  and  trace,  with  thankful 
heart,  its  growth  and  prosperity,  from  that  begin- 
ning. How  instinctive,  and  proper  also,  the  com- 
memoration of  birth-days,  or  of  any  event  of 
great  significance  in  our  history,  such  as  some 
remarkable  turning-point  therein,  a  crisis  of  future 
destiny,  the  dawn  of  a  new  era  in  the  ongoing  of 
our  life,  a  providential  deliverance  from  some 
unforeseen  peril. 


18  FIBST  illiuai.  ORANGE. 

In  obedience  to  this  natural  prompting,  you  find 
commemorative  days,  and  seasons,  set  apart,  and 

in  some  way  observed  by  nations,  by  social  organi- 
zations of  whatsoever  kind  they  may  be,  and  by 
individuals  everywhere.  It  is  not  without  its  most 
salutary  and  beneficial  effects.  Greatly  to  be  de- 
plored would  be  its  abandonment,  for  any  cause, 
when  the  event  is  worthy  of  commemorating,  to 
which  any  given  observance  relates.  For  example, 
who  would  be  content  to  have  the  anniversary  of 
the  birth  of  this  republic,  under  which  we  live, 
3  by  unnoticed  and  disregarded,  and  the  mem- 
ory of  that  great  event  in  our  national  history  be 
suffered  to  grow  dim,  and  gradually  fade  out  of 
the  distinct  recollection  of  the  people,  even  though 
there  is  much  connected  with  its  observance  which 
we  could  wish  otherwise  ?  "Would  it  not  be  an 
incalculable  loss  to  us,  as  a  nation,  not  to  have  those 
stirring  scenes  and  solemn  transactions  which  clus- 
ter about  the  declaration  of  our  independence,  to- 
gether with  the  sublime  devotion,  the  heroic  faith, 
and  the  fearless  courage  of  those  who  were  actors 
in  that   event,   kept  in  remembrance?     Is   it   not 


SERMON.  19 

wise  to  set  apart  a  day  to  remind  of  these  things 
which  are  such  an  inspiration  to  true  patriotism, 
and  are  so  well  fitted  to  incite  fidelity  in  the  dis- 
charge of  the  sacred  trust  reposed  in  us  ? 

Indeed,  in  olden  time,  among  God's  people,  the 
commemoration  of  past  events  in  their  national  his- 
tory was  deemed  of  too  much  importance  to  he  left 
to  the  prompting  of  their  feelings,  or  to  their  own 
regulation  in  any  way  whatever.  It  was  solemnly 
and  authoritatively  enjoined,  and  the  precise  man- 
ner in  which  the  ceremonies  of  such  occasions 
should  he  conducted  was  prescrihed.  The  Old 
Testament  is  largely  made  up  of  history,  which 
was  to  be  the  continual  study  of  the  Israelites,  in 
order  that  they  might  never  forget  what  God  had 
wrought  in  their  behalf;  and  there  were  days  set 
apart  not  unfrequently  in  the  course  of  each  year, 
by  divine  command,  to  be  employed  in  celebrating 
the  more  important  events  with  which  their  history 
was  filled. 

There  was  one  event,  especially,  which  was  never 
to  be  forgotten — that  which  gave  to  the  Israelites 
their  national  existence.     Though  it  was  true,  as 


20  FIRST   CJ1UIKIL  011AXGE. 

another  has  said  of  it,  that  "  no  subsequent  vicissi- 
tudes would  obliterate  the  story  which  Israel  trea- 
sured in  her  inmost  memory,  the  story  of  the  stern 
ptian  bondage,  followed  by  the  triumphant 
exodus,  yet  everything  was  done  by  God  to  keep  it 
fresh  in  their  remembrance,  and  most  effective  in 
its  influence  over  them."  "  It  is  not  enough,''"  this 
same  writer  adds,  "  that  this  great  deliverance  be 
accurately  chronicled;  it  must  be  expanded,  ap- 
plied, insisted  on  in  each  of  its  many  bearings  and 
aspects  by  the  law-giver  who  directed  and  described 
it ;  it  must  be  echoed  on  from  age  to  age,  in  the 
stern  expostulations  of  prophets,  and  in  the  plaint- 
ive or  jubilant  songs  of  psalmists."  Nor  yet  is 
this  enough  ;  but  the  feast  of  the  Passover,  com- 
memorative of  this  event,  must  be  duly  observed 
with  every  returning  year.  When  the  time  for  it 
came,  there  must  be  an  entire  interruption  of  the 
ordinary  routine  of  family  life,  a  clearing  of  the 
house  of  all  leaven,  and  the  slaying  of  the  firstling 
of  the  flock,  to  be  roasted  and  eaten  at  night,  with 
the  loins  girded,  feet  shod,  and  stall'  in  hand,  and 
the  blood  of  the  victim  was  to   he  sprinkled  upon 


SERMON.  21 

the  door-posts.  This  would  naturally  provoke  the 
inquiry,  on  the  part  of  the  children  of  each  suc- 
ceeding generation,  "  What  mean  ye  hy  this  ser- 
vice ?"  To  this  question,  thus  elicited,  explicit 
answer  was  to  be  given,  detailing  the  great  event 
which  it  was  designed  to  commemorate. 

So  that  it  is  in  obedience  to  a  natural  prompt- 
ing of  our  hearts,  and  moved  also  by  a  sense  of 
what  is  befitting,  but  most  of  all  instructed  by  pre- 
cept and  example  in  God's  word,  though  not  di- 
rectly commanded,  that  we  as  a  church  are  about 
to  commemorate  its  founding  a  century  and  a  half 
ago,  and  associate  with  that  event  a  consideration 
of  the  time  and  circumstances  in  which  it  began  its 
existence,  and  has  developed  itself,  as  well  as  make 
a  compilation  of  its  written  history  until  the  present 
time.  And  there  is  special  reason  for  the  commem- 
oration of  this  event,  as  we  propose,  because  of  the 
tendency  of  the  present  age.  It  is  crowded  with 
great  concerns,  full  of  the  rush  and  roar  of  business, 
of  the  turmoil  and  strife  of  politics,  of  the  interest 
and  enthusiasm  naturally  awakened  by  new  and 
splendid   discoveries   and  inventions.     We  easily 


FIRST  OEUROE,   ORANGE. 

etthe  past,  with  its  Lessons  of  wisdom,  its  noble 
deeds,  its  illustrious  men  and  their  worthy  exam- 
ple, it-  great  crises,  its  seed  planting,  germinating 

and  growing  of  that  which  now  has  spread  its  pro- 
tecting branches  over  us,  and  rejoices  us  with  its 
shade  and  fruit.  Even  in  the  kingdom  of  God 
there  is  this  same  danger  existing.  Events  are  here 
transpiring,  which  startle  us  because  of  their  mag- 
nitude and  significance  in  respect  to  the  future. 
The  world  is  all  astir  with  excitement  and  activity 
in  matters  of  religion.  Responsibilities  and  duties 
press  upon  us,  one  after  the  other,  in  great  num- 
bers and  with  a  constantly  accumulating  force. 
We  are  likely  to  attempt  their  discharge  at  a  great 
disadvantage,  to  say  the  least,  because  untaught  by 
what  has  been  concerning  what  shall  be,  and  not  im- 
bued with  the  spirit  of  the  past,  encouraged  and 
cheered  by  its  examples,  and  apprehending  its 
necessary  relations  to  the  future. 

It  is  natural,  as  we  gather  to-night  for  the  pur- 
pose of  inaugurating  the  ceremonies  of  the  present 
occasion,  for  the  inquiry  to  arise,  and  we  do  well  ii> 
put   the  question  to  each  other,  which  was  heard 


SERMON.  23 

from  the  lips  of  the  children  at  the  feast  of  the 
Passover,  "  What  mean  ye  by  this  service  ?"  It  is 
the  part  of  true  wisdom  accurately  to  define  for 
ourselves,  as  well  as  for  others,  what  significance 
attaches  to  the  commemorative  service  in  which  we 
are  now  about  to  engage.  Just  this  I  propose  to 
do,  esteeming  it  the  most  appropriate  subject  which 
can  occupy  our  attention  at  this  hour. 

I.  We  mean  by  this  service,  first  of  all,  gratefully  to 
recall  to  our  recollection  the  past  history  of  this  church, 
and  fully  to  possess  ourselves  of  it  as  our  rightful  inher- 
itance. 

There  is  always  a  great  and  growing  importance, 
and  value,  in  that  which  is  by-gone  and  of  other 
clays,  belonging  to  anything  which  is  in  itself  of 
real  worth,  and  is  continuous  and  expansive  in  its 
life,  growth,  and  power  of  influence  through  suc- 
cessive periods  of  time.  The  past  in  such  a  case 
becomes  as  a  treasure  house,  built  of  costly  and  pre- 
cious materials,  having  an  architecture,  adornment 
and  furnishing  peculiarly  its  own,  in  which  are 
already  stored,  and  are  ever  accumulating,  memen- 


24  FIRST  CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

toes  innumerable,  and  of  every  variety,  of  the 
goodness  of  God  in  His  gracious  interpositions, 
wise  overruling  of  unpropitious  circumstances  and 
events,  and  loving  dispensations  of  mercy  and 
favor  ;  the  choicest  treasures  of  human  experience, 
also,  wrought  out  amid  the  changeful,  ever-varying 
conditions  of  our  existence  upon  earth  ;  the  most 
valuable  lessons  of  wisdom,  too,  from  which  to 
gain  instruction,  because  the  practical  results  of 
principles  and  rules  of  action  already  tested. 

How  true  this  is  in  respect  to  the  life  of  an  indi- 
vidual, each  one  can  discover  for  himself.  Some- 
times, in  our  hasty  judgment  of  the  past,  after  re- 
view of  what  is  wrong,  imperfect,  weak,  reflecting 
little  or  no  credit  upon  us,  possibly  covering  us  with 
shame,  we  turn  from  it  in  disgust,  and  wish  most 
heartily  that  it  could  all  be  blotted  out.  But  no 
man  who  rightly  appreciates  it  will  for  a  moment 
cherish  such  a  wish.  However  strongly  he  may 
desire  thai  much  of  his  conduct  had  been  different, 
and  that  his  character,  even,  which  therein  finds  its 
truthful  record,  had  been  just  the  opposite  in  its 
moral  quality,  yet  taking  it  precisely  as  it  is,  all 


SERMON.  25 

blotted  and  marred  it  may  be  with  his  own  evil 
doing,  it  is  full  to  overflowing  of  the  peculiar  and 
marvelous  manifestations  of  the  love  of  God,  which 
are  all  his  own  possession  ;  crowded  with  various 
experiences,  which  if  not  pleasant  to  recall  are  yet 
vocal  with  needful  instruction  and  solemn  warning; 
and  abounding  on  every  hand  with  practical  lessons 
of  wisdom,  to  which  it  is  well  to  take  heed  as  to 
a  light  in  a  dark  place.  To  the  good  man,  however, 
whose  life  has  been  spent  in  the  service  of  God  and 
his  fellow  men,  how  much  there  is  to  cheer  and 
bless  in  the  recollection ;  how  fragrant  the  memo- 
ries of  the  loving  kindnesses  of  a  heavenly  Father, 
with  which  life  thus  far,  every  day  of  it,  has  been 
crowned ;  how  inspiring  to  behold  what  the  Divine 
Hand  hath  wrought  through  him  as  its  willing 
instrument;  how  valuable  beyond  comparison  its 
teachings  concerning  the  blessedness  of  those  who 
hope  in  God,  who  trust  in  Him,  and  with  all  their 
powers  of  body,  and  mind,  and  heart,  love  and  serve 
Him. 

The  same  may  be  said  of  family  history.    Of  what 
worth  it  is  to  have  an  honored  ancestry  ;  to  be  able 
to  trace  your  descent  through  a  long  line  of  noble 
2 


26  FIRST  CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

men  and  women,  who  have  left  their  impress  for 
good  upon  the  age  in  which  they  have  lived  ;  whose 
virtues  have  been  transmitted  as  a  goodly  heritage, 
from  parent  to  child,  down  through  each  successive 
generation  ;  and  whose  lives  of  purity  and  goodness 
are  kept  in  living  remembrance,  and  held  up  for 
imitation.     Such  a  family  history  is  like  an  old  pic- 
ture gallery,  quaint  and  rare  in  all  its  appointments'; 
hung  with  all  the  master-pieces  of  art,  representing 
that  which  is  beautiful  with  exquisite  delicacy  of 
touch  and  color ;  bringing  out  with  bolder,  firmer 
stroke,  that  which  is  rugged  and  grand  ;  depicting 
also,  with  the  same  fidelity  and  skill,  that  which  is 
heroic  and  sublime  in  human  action,  lofty  in  under- 
taking,  and  noble  in   achievement.      You   never 
weary   of   wandering  through  it,    studying  with 
unflagging  interest  what  is  there  set  forth,  drink- 
ing in   with   ever  increasing   delight  and  higher 
appreciation  its  inspiring  and  ennobling  influences. 
So  it  is  with  this  gallery  of  family  history,  of  which 
one  who  belongs  to  the  favored  circle  which  it  in- 
cludes has  the  key,  and  can  enter  it  when  he  will. 
There  he  finds  exhibited  all  that  is  lovely  and  of 
good  report  in  the  characters  and  lives  of  those  who 


SERMON.  27 

have  graced  and  adorned  the  name  they  bear,  by 
their  virtues  and  excellencies ;  and  that  which  is 
full  of  ruggedness  and  strength,  of  real  heroism  and 
sublimity,  where  great  and  sore  trials  have  been 
endured,  dangers  faced,  difficulties  encountered 
and  overcome,  temptations  set  at  naught,  and  great 
achievements  won.  All  this  is  of  incalculable 
value  to  one  whose  privilege  it  is  to  inherit  the 
treasures  of  such  a  family  history,  and  live  and  act 
under  their  inspiration. 

It  need  not  be  added,  that  what  is  true  in  rela- 
tion to  the  past  in  the  case  of  an  individual,  or  of  a 
family  with  its  long  line  of  honored  ancestry,  is 
equally  so  in  regard  to  the  history  of  a  nation. 
You  do  not  need  to  be  told,  that  every  nation  upon 
the  face  of  the  earth  takes  peculiar  pride  in  all  the 
great  events  which  have  transpired  since  its  founda- 
tion, and  is  careful  to  chronicle  and  preserve  them; 
and  how  it  feels  itself  richer  in  honorable  records 
with  every  passing  year ;  how  it  treasures  up  the 
noble  deeds  of  patriotism  which  any  of  its  citizens 
have  performed  in  its  behalf,  either  in  time  of  war 
or  peace,  and  delights  to  honor  their  memory ;  and 
how  it  glories  more  and  more  in  all  these  things 


28  FIRST  CHURCH,   ORANGE. 

the  older  it  grows,  the  more  fully  and  firmly  estab- 
lished it  is,  and  the  more  powerful,  widely  ex- 
tended, and  influential  it  becomes.  How  do  we  as 
a  nation,  though  not  yet  a  century  old,  pride  our- 
selves upon  our  past  history,  and  esteem  it  an  ines- 
timable treasure  to  us  already. 

But  if,  in  all  these  instances  which  I  have  named, 
the  past  history  is  of  so  great  value,  of  how  much 
greater  worth  must  it  be  in  the  case  of  the  church 
at  lars-e,  or  even  in  the  case  of  any  single  branch  of 
it,  like  our  own.     It  cannot  be  questioned  that  the 
church,  inasmuch  as  it  is  the  outward  and  visible 
representation  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  upon  earth 
—the  kingdom  of  redemption— is  vastly  superior  in 
rank  and  importance  to  these  things  which  I  have 
named.     It  is  that  to  whose  life,  growth  and  pros- 
perity they  are  to  contribute;  that  which  holds  in 
sacred  trust  the  best  interests  of  the  individual,  the 
family,  and  the  nation,  and  is  prepared  to  conserve, 
establish,  and  perpetuate  all  that  is  truly  good  in 
them.     This  venerable  church,  in  its  century  and  a 
half  of  existence,  comprehends  in   some  measure, 
and  has  woven  in  with  itself,  the  history  of  every 
one  who  has  lived  within  sound  of  its  bell  summon- 


SERMON.  29 

ing  to  Sabbath  worship ;  the  history  of  every  family 
group  which,  in  its  successive  generations,  has  come 
upon  the  stage  of  action,  and  still  has  existence 
among  us ;  the  history  of  the  State,  and  even  the 
nation.  It  had  its  beginning  long  before  the  throes 
began  which  gave  birth  to  this  Republic,  and  was 
witness  of  the  many  stirring  scenes  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  an  active  participant  by  its  membership 
in  them,  some  of  which  occurred  in  its  immediate 
vicinity,  making  the  region  round  about  it  classic 
ground. 

Thanks  to  one  of  its  honored  pastors,  the  lamented 
Hoyt,  who  is  in  spirit  with  us  on  this  occasion,  I 
doubt  not,  though  gone  to  his  rest,  we  have  recorded 
with  the  utmost  painstaking,  and  in  a  true  his- 
toric spirit,  all  that  could  at  so  late  a  day  be  gleaned 
from  the  materials  in  existence,  that  was  worthy  to 
be  preserved  and  transmitted  to  future  generations. 
It  is  a  record  creditable  alike  to  the  head  and  the 
heart  of  its  compiler,  whose  own  life  and  work 
among  us  are  held  in  fresh  and  loving  remem- 
brance, and  are  now  to  become  a  part  of  the  writ- 
ten history  of  the  people  for  whose  spiritual  welfare 
he  so  faithfully  labored.     It  is  invaluable  to  us, 


30  FIRST  CITmcn,   ORANGE. 

inasmuch  as  it  relates  to  the  origin,  life,  and  growth 
of  a  church  which  had  committed  to  it,  in  the  pro- 
vidence of  God,  a  most  important  part  to  perform 
in  building  up  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  this  region, 
and  has,  as  therein  exhibited,  nobly  fulfilled  its 
mission.  There  is  something  very  precious  and 
sacred  about  such  a  history.  Therein  is  recited  the 
many  trials  and  difficulties  through  which  the 
church  has  passed.  It  brings  to  view  also  the  faith, 
the  courage,  and  the  prayerfulness  which  character- 
ized our  forefathers  in  meeting  and  overcoming 
these.  It  portrays,  likewise,  with  much  of  detail, 
the  goodness  of  God  as  it  has  been  displayed  in 
behalf  of  His  people,  in  the  frequent  and  abundant 
outpourings  of  His  Spirit ;  in  the  prosperity  with 
which  He  attended  their  labors  of  zeal  and  love; 
in  the  remarkable  fruitfulness  with  which  He  has 
blessed  the  church,  causing  her  to  be  the  happy 
mother  of  so  many  worthy  daughters,  who  to-day 
rise  up  to  call  her  blessed,  and  have  themselves 
some  of  them  attained  to  the  dignity  and  honor  of 
maternity. 

It  is  both  pleasing   and  profitable  to  trace,  as 
therein  set  forth,  the  peculiar  individuality  of  the 


SERMON.  31 

church  in  its  organic  life  and  growth.     Possessing 
much  in  common  with  its  sister  churches,  being  one 
with  them  in   Christ  Jesus,  one  in  doctrine  and 
polity,  one  in  its  animating  spirit  and  in  its  pur- 
pose, it  has  had  characteristics  peculiarly  its  own, 
distinguishing  it  from  all  others.     There  has  always 
been  a  certain  puritan  simplicity  about  it,  which  is 
quite  in  keeping  with  the  source  whence  it  had  its 
origin.    And  yet  it  has  been  thoroughly  indigenous, 
which  is  easily  to  be  traced  to  the  material  of  which 
it  has  been  hitherto  composed — a  solid,  substantial 
yeomanry,  breathing  the  pure  air  of  this  most  salu- 
brious region,  but  still  so  near  the  great  commer- 
cial centre  of  the  continent  as  to  feel  the  influence 
of  its  activity,  and  of  its  large  and  broad  way  of 
viewing  all  matters.     It  has  been  distinguished  for 
its  vital  energy,  which  has  rendered  it  strong  in 
itself  and  independent  of  externals,  and  but  little 
shaken  apparently  by  the  various   trying   experi- 
ences through  which  it  has  passed.    This  was  due  to 
a  most  marked  and  abiding  sense  of  its  dependence 
upon  the  great  Head  of  the  Church,  which  is  the 
true  secret  of  its  strength  and  stability.    It  has  been 
characterized  by  a  remarkable  purity  and  sound- 


32  FIRST  CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

ness  of  doctrinal  belief  in  a  practical  and  living 
form,  so  that  it  has  not  been  "  tossed  to  and  fro,  and 
carried  about  by  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the 
sleight  of  men,  and  cunning  craftiness,  whereby 
they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive,"  giving  evidence,  in 
this,  of  the  fidelity  with  which  a  gifted  and  godly 
ministry  have  labored  "  in  the  word  and  doctrine," 
for  its  establishment  and  upholding.  It  has  had  a 
disposition  to  devise  liberal  things  for  the  service  of 
the  Lord,  as  is  clearly  shown  by  this  venerable 
structure,  with  it  solid  walls  of  hewn  stone,  so  ex- 
cellent in  its  style  and  finish  for  the  time  when  it 
was  erected,  so  dignified,  substantial  and  commo- 
dious, reflecting  great  credit  upon  those  who  were 
engaged  in  its  construction,  requiring,  as  it  must 
have  done,  much  of  toil,  self-denial  and  sacrifice  at 
their  hands,  which  is  well  worthy  of  imitation  at 
the  present  day  ;  and  also  by  a  similar  provision  for 
the  worship  of  God  in  the  stone  edifice  which  pre- 
ceded it ;  and  likewise  by  the  generous  support 
which  has  always  been  given  to  those  who  were 
placed  over  them  in  the  Lord,  in  the  ministerial 
office. 

But  how  much  there  is  in  the  history  of  this  our 


SERMON.  33 

venerable  Zion,  which  is  unwritten  and  can  never 
be  spread  out  upon  the  printed  page,  or  even  find 
expression  in  human  language,  and  yet  is  by  far 
the  larger,  and  the  most  precious  part,  of  the  legacy 
which  the  past  bring3  down  to  us.  That  which  is 
thus  unrecorded  has  had  by  far  the  most  to  do  in 
making  the  church  what  it  is  to-day. 

In  this  category  must  be  reckoned  the  inner  life 
and  experiences  of  the  saintly  host  who  have  be- 
longed to  it  through  the  century  and  a  half  of  its 
existence.  What  these  have  been  no  man  knoweth, 
save  the  Son  of  Man,  whom  the  beloved  disciple  in 
vision  beheld,  holding  the  seven  stars  in  his  right 
hand,  and  walking  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  golden 
candlesticks.  They  are  all  recorded  in  His  book  of 
remembrance,  and  there  stand  as  a  part  of  the  his- 
tory of  this  church,  in  connection  with  which  they 
have  transpired.  To  Him  only  is  it  known  how 
their  unconscious  influence  has  gone  forth,  silently 
and  unperceivecl,  to  mould  and  give  character,  and 
determine  what  the  fnture  of  this  spiritual  temple 
of  the  Lord  should  be.  It  is  manifest  that  these 
must  have  been,  for  the  most  part,  of  a  high  order 
as  to  piety,  fervor   and   devotion.      Otherwise   it 


34  FIRST  OHURGE,  ORANGE. 

would  not  be  the  strong,  compact,  and  firmly  estab- 
lished spiritual  building  which  it  now  is,  nor  have 
lingering  yet  in  its  sacred  precincts  the  fragrance 
of  their  christian  character,  and  the  precious  aroma 
of  their  love  for  the  dear  Lord,  which  led  them 
freely  to  devote  their  best  and  costliest  to  His  ser- 
vice. From  these  holy  men  and  women  who  have 
here  lived,  labored,  and  fallen  asleep  at  last  in 
Jesus,  there  have  gone  forth  such  influences  as  will 
never  fail  of  their  effective  operation  in  this  church, 
so  long  as  the  world  stands.  The  good  man  never 
ceases  to  exist  on  earth,  though  every  trace  of  him 
may  be  gone  from  the  sight  and  memory  of  men. 
He  has  become  a  spiritual  force,  which  the  Master 
will  always  continue  to  employ,  until  the  top-most 
stone  of  His  living  temple  upon  earth  is  laid,  amid 
the  shoutings  of  the  angels  and  the  redeemed. 

Countless  in  number,  and  of  every  conceivable 
variety,  are  the  fervent  petitions  which  have  gone 
up  into  the  ear  of  the  Most  High,  who  heareth 
[.rayer,  in  broken  utterance,  with  streaming  eye  and 
falling  tear,  from  the  hearts  of  God's  people  in  all 
past  time  since  this  church  began  its  existence. 
These  have  been  offered,  not  for  present  blessings 


8E&M0N. 

alone,  but  for  blessings  in  abundant  measure  to 
descend,  in  all  future  time,  down  even  to  the  h 
generation,  upon  this,  the  dearest  object  of  their 
affection.  From  the  secresy  of  the  closet,  where 
none  but  God  could  hear  or  see  the  praying  saint 
on  bended  knee  ;  and  from  these  fields,  and  wood- 
lands, and  mountain  slopes,  and  the  streets  even  of 
this  extended  territory,  which  the  parish  has  em- 
braced within  its  limits,  there  have  been  breathed 
supplications,  which  have  been  winged  by  strong 
faith,  and  have  gone  up  on  swift  pinion  to  Heaven 
above.  And  all  along  through  the  rapid  flight  of 
years,  these  precious  prayers  have  been  receiving 
continual  answer,  from  a  covenant-keeping  God. 
None  can  estimate  what  this  church,  for  its  quiet, 
its  purity,  its  prosperity,  its  long  continuance,  its 
success,  owes  to  these  same  prayers.  But  we  all 
very  well  know  that  every  blessing  which  it  has 
enjoyed  is  due,  in  very  large  measure,  to  their  won- 
derful efficacy.  And  they  are  yet  laid  up  in  store 
for  us  of  the  present  generation,  and  for  all  who 
come  after  us,  full  of  efficacy  in  procuring  blessing 
as  the  clouds  of  rain,  and  ready  under  the  Divine 


3G  FIRST  CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

direction  as  they,  to  cause  the  grateful,  fertilizing 
shower  to  fall  upon  us.  In  the  hands  of  the  four 
beasts,  and  of  the  four  and  twenty  elders,  whom 
the  Apostle  John  beheld  prostrating  themselves 
before  the  Lamb,  who  was  about  to  open  the  seven 
seals  of  the  mystical  book,  there  were  golden  vials 
full  of  odors,  which  are  the  prayers  of  the  saints. 
Does  not  this  signify  that  these  prayers  are  a  trea- 
sure laid  up  in  Heaven  to  receive  answer  in  abun- 
dant measure  in  all  future  time  ?  How  does  the 
past  come  down  to  us,  then,  laden  with  inexhaust- 
ible riches,  in  the  fervent  supplications  of  pious 
hearts,  offered  up  in  behalf  of  this  church  so  dear 
to  them,  all  unnoted  and  unrecorded  upon  earth, 
but  held  in  precious  remembrance  on  high  ! 

Nor  of  less  worth  is  another  portion  of  our  inher- 
itance in  the  past  history  of  this  church — the  mani- 
fold and  varied  endeavors  of  the  great  company  of 
Christ's  servants  who  have  occupied  hitherto  this 
vineyard  of  the  Lord.  With  faith  and  prayer  they 
have  cultivated  the  soil,  and  sown  the  seed,  which 
is  yet  to  spring  up  and  bear  an  abundant  harvest, 
though  something  of  the  fruitage  is  already  gath- 


8ERM0N.  37 

ered  into  the  heavenly  storehouses.  The  seed  of 
the  "Word,  which  it  is  the  christian's  privilege  to 
sow,  is  sometimes  long  in  springing  up.  It  lies 
dormant,  awaiting  God's  time,  as  the  seed  of  a 
former  generation  of  forest  trees  lies  in  the  rich 
loam  until  the  right  time  for  it  to  spring  up  shall 
come.  And  when  it  does  shoot  upward  from  out 
the  soil  in  which  it  is  planted,  and  reach  its  fruit- 
bearing,  it  is  not  of  short  life,  but  is  like  the  tree 
"  planted  by  the  rivers  of  water,  whose  leaf  also 
shall  not  wither."  The  abundant  an'd  faithful 
labors  of  Christ's  ministers,  who  have  here  lived 
and  died,  think  you  that  they  have  ceased  to  be 
fruitful  of  good  to  this  church,  sources  of  its  vitality 
and  power,  hidden  springs  from  which  flow  refresh- 
ing streams  of  holy  influence  ?  By  no  means.  Not 
while  the  world  stands,  shall  this  prove  true.  Nei- 
ther has  God  forgotten  a  single  earnest  endeavor 
for  the  upbuilding  of  this  church,  put  forth  in 
weakness  by  the  feeblest  member  of  the  flock. 
Nor  will  He  fail  to  render  it  also  fruitful  of  blessing 
thereto,  until  the  end  of  time.  "  He  that  goeth  forth 
and  weepeth,  bearing  precious  seed,  shall  doubt- 


38  first  church,  orange. 

less  come  again  with  rejoicing,  bringing  his  sheaves 
with  him,"  when  the  long  working  day  of  the 
world's  redemption  is  ended.  The  sowing  is  man's 
work.  But  the  growing,  and  fhdt-bearing,  and 
harvesting,  are  God's  care.  And  these  latter  pro- 
cesses will  continue  until  the  song  of  the  angels, 
shouting  harvest  home,  is  heard  resounding  through 
the  skies. 

How  very  precious,  then,  is  the  past,  by  reason 
of  these  toilsome  and  tearful,  yet  trustful  and  loving 
labors  of  our  forefathers  for  the  salvation  of  souls, 
for  the  establishment  and  upbuilding  of  this  church, 
for  the  honor  of  Christ  and  the  glory  of  God. 
They  each,  under  the  Divine  superintendence,  are 
noiselessly  working  among  the  life  forces  of  this 
spiritual  building,  which  is  slowly  growing  up  "  to 
an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord,  in  whom  we  also  are 
builded  together,  for  an  habitation  of  God  through 
the  Spirit." 

Ye  see  then  your  inheritance,  brethren,  which  the 
past  history  of  this  venerable  church  yields  into 
your  hands,  as  yours,  and  bids  you  take  up,  and 
employ,  and  transmit  to  future  generations.     We 


SERMON.  39 

are  now  engaging  in  a  service,  one  purpose  of  which 
is  the  review  of  our  priceless  inheritance,  which 
has  come  down  to  us  from  our  godly  ancestry,  who 
were  fellow  members  with  us  of  this  household  of 
faith.  We  are  bidden  to  look  upon  it,  that  we  may 
see  how  it  is  enriched  with  their  prayers  and  tears, 
and  adorned  by  their  holy  walk  and  conversation^ 
and  fragrant  with  their  benedictions,  which  they 
left  behind  them  upon  all  who  should  come  after, 
as  they  passed  from  earth  to  Heaven.  We  are  sum- 
moned thus  to  behold  it,  that  we  may  understand 
its  real  worth,  its  manifold  resources,  the  many 
advantages  which  it  affords,  and  the  numerous  bless- 
ings  it  confers.  We  are  thus  to  contemplate  it  that 
we  may  fully  possess  ourselves  of  it,  and  make  it 
all  our  own  as  our  rightful  inheritance.  This  is  in 
part  our  answer  to  the  inquiry  which  so  naturally 
arises,  "  What  mean  ye  by  this  service  ?" 

II.  But  this  is  not  all.  We  would  also  cast  our 
eyes  forward  into  the  yet  unrevealed  future,  to  dis- 
cover, if  we  may,  what  the  possibilities  are  in  reference 
to  the  future  history  of  this  church,  what  mission  it  yet 


40  FIRST  CHURCII,    ORANGE. 

has  to  'perform,  what  place  to  fill,  and  what  results  to 
aefdi  ve.  We  must  not  sit  down  to  content  ourselves 
with  what  has  been  already,  but  explore  what  is 
before  us,  to  see  what  may  yet  be  in  time  to  come, 
whereby  the  inheritance  we  have  received  may  be 
enlarged,  beautified,  and  enriched.  To  do  other- 
wise is  a  most  fatal  error.  "  Precious  indeed,"  s 
Liddon,  in  his  Bampton  Lectures,  "  precious  indeed 
to  every  wise  man,  to  every  association  of  true- 
hearted  and  generous  men,  must  ever  be  the  inher- 
itance of  the  past.  Yet  what  is  the  past  without 
the  future  ?  What  is  memory  when  unaccompanied 
by  hope  ?  Look  at  the  case  of  the  single  soul.  Is 
it  not  certain  that  a  life  of  high,  earnest  purpose, 
will  die  outright  if  it  is  permitted  to  sink  into  the 
placid  reverie  of  perpetual  retrospect ;  if  the  man 
of  action  becomes  the  mere  "laudator  temporis 
acti  ?"  IIow  is  the  force  of  moral  life  developed 
and  strengthened  ?  Is  it  not  by  successive,  con- 
scious efforts  to  act  and  to  suffer  at  \\w  call  of  duty? 
Must  not  every  moral  life  dwindle  and  fade  away, 
if  it  be  not  reaching  forward  to  a  standard  higher, 
truer,  purer,  stronger,  than  its  own  ?     Will  not  the 


SERMON.  41 

struggles,  the  sacrifices,  the  self-conquests  even  of 
a  great  character,  in  by-gone  years,  if  they  now  oc- 
cupy its  whole  field  of  vision,  only  serve  to  consum- 
mate its  ruin  ?  As  it  doatingly  fondles  them  in 
memory,  will  it  not  be  stiffened  by  conceit  into  a 
moral  petrifaction,  or  consigned  by  sloth  to  the 
successive  processes  of  moral  decomposition  ?  Has 
not  the  author  of  our  life  so  bound  up  its  deepest 
instincts  and  yearnings  with  His  own  eternity,  that 
no  blessings  in  the  past  would  be  blessings,  if  they 
were  utterly  unconnected  with  the  future  ?  *  *  * 
A  nation  must  have  a  future  before  it,  a  future 
which  can  rebuke  its  despondency,  and  can  direct 
its  enthusiasm  ;  a  future  for  which  it  will  prepare 
itself ;  a  future  which  it  will  aspire  to  create,  and 
control.  Unless  it  would  barter  away  the  vigorous 
nerve  of  true  patriotism,  for  the  feeble  pedantry  of 
a  soulless  archaeology,  a  nation  cannot  fall  back 
altogether  upon  the  centuries  which  have  flattered 
its  ambition,  or  which  have  developed  its  material 
well-being.  Something  it  must  propose  to  itself  as 
an  object  to  be  compassed  in  coming  time,  some- 
thing which  is  as  yet  beyond  it.     *     *     *     So  it  is 

also  in  the  case  of  society.     The  greatest  of  all 
3 


42  FIRST  CIIURCII,    ORANGE. 

societies  among  men  at  this  moment  is  the  church 
of  Jesus  Christ.  Is  she  sustained  only  by  the  deeds 
and  writings  of  her  saints,  and  martyrs  in  a  distant 
past,  or  only  by  her  reverent,  trustful  sense  of  the 
Divine  Presence  which  blesses  her  in  the  actual 
present  ?  Does  she  not  resolutely  pierce  the  gloom 
of  the  future,  and  confidently  reckon  upon  new 
struggles  and  triumphs  on  earth,  and  beyond  these 
upon  a  home  in  heaven,  wherein  she  will  enjoy  rest 
and  victory  ;  a  rest  that  no  trouble  can  disturb— a 
victory  that  no  reverse  can  forfeit?" 

Assuredly  we  must  give  full  and  hearty  assent  to 
these  sentiments,  so  eloquently  expressed  and  en- 
forced, and  feel  that  they  have  direct  and  most  per- 
tinent application  to  us  at  the  present  time.  It  is 
our  solemn  duty  to  consider  well  the  future,  and 
ponder  deeply  what  it  has  in  store  for  the  church 
with  which  we  stand  connected,  if  we  and  those 
who  come  after  us  do  not  fail  of  our  duty  and  privi- 
lege in  this  matter. 

It  requires  but  the  most  cursory  glance  into 
the  near  future,  to  discover  that  we  are  upon  the 
verge  of  something  grander  and  nobler  in  concep- 
tion and  execution  than  ever  yet  has  been  realized, 


SERMON.  43 

in  every  department  of  human  activity.  Though 
there  may  not  be  so  much  accomplished,  perhaps, 
in  the  way  of  new  discoveries,  yet  in  the  appli- 
cation of  those  which  have  been  already  made,  to 
meet  the  necessities  of  men,  an  era  of  prodigious 
undertakings  is  dawning  upon  us.  Nor  are  these 
such  as  cannot  be  carried  through  to  completion, 
or  when  consummated,  likely  to  prove  of  little 
value.  Enough  has  already  been  achieved  to  show 
that  the  energy  of  will  which  is  brought  into  use, 
will  be  quite  equal  to  the  mighty  strain  put  upon 
it ;  and  also  that  the  judgment  exercised  will  not 
be  at  fault  in  giving  right  direction  to  whatever  is 
undertaken.  The  girdling  of  continents  with  iron 
roadways;  the  traversing  of  oceans  which  wash 
shores  widely  distant  from  each  other  with  swift 
steamships  ;  the  tying  together  of  great  countries, 
by  a  wire  thread  stretched  along  the  bottom  of  the 
wide  sea,  or  in  the  thin  atmosphere  above  the  earth, 
through  which  intelligence  can  be  flashed  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye,  we  must  regard  as  only  the 
first  instalments  of  what  is  yet  to  transpire,  by 
which  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  world  shall  be 
made  akin,  and  their  material  interests  be  greatly 


44  FIRST   CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

promoted.  There  are  already  half-defined  prophe- 
cies of  something  greater  shortly  to  follow ; — 
possibilities  yet  slumbering,  waiting  the  touch  of  a 
master  hand  to  evolve  them  into  realities. 

The  age  just  at  hand  is  to  be  one  of  the  most 
radical  changes  in  the  condition  of  society,  and  of 
state.     Even  now  there  are  beginnings  of  revolu- 
tions, for  the  most  part  peaceful,  which  foreshadow 
great   overturnings,   readjustments,   and  reforms  ; 
the  overthrow  of  erroneous  and  effete  systems  of 
legislation  and  government;    and  the   removal  of 
the  great  obstacles  to  human  progress,  which  have 
hitherto  stood  in  the  way,  like  insurmountable  bar- 
riers.    No  Ecumenical  Council  can  avail  to  keep 
back   the   on-rushing    tide    of    popular   sentiment 
which   is   setting  in  the   direction   of  freedom  of 
thought  and  action.     The  Pope  and  his  Cardinals 
and  Bishops  might  as  well  take  their  stand  at  low 
water  upon  the  sandy  beach,  and  endeavor  to  force 
back  the  sea  as  it  rises  higher  and  higher,  and  rolls 
in  farther  and  farther  with  every  succeeding  wave 
upon  the  main-land.     ISTo  barricading  of  the  streets 
of  the  French  capital,  so  as  to  quell  an  uprising, 
will  long  preserve  the  sceptre  and  throne  of  the 


SERMON.  45 

Emperor  Xapoleon,  unless  he  gracefully  yields,  to 
the  stern  demand  of  the  people,  the  rights  of  which 
they  have  been  so  long  defrauded.  The  questions 
of  the  separation  of  church  and  state ;  of  the  right 
to  popular  education;  of  participation  in  the  affairs 
of  government  in  some  form  or  other  by  the 
people,  are  already  virtually  decided.  Feudalism, 
caste,  tyranny  and  despotism,  are  soon  to  become 
traditions  of  the  past,  rather  than  present  realities. 
Labor  and  capital  are  seeking  a  new  and  more 
equitable  adjustment  of  their  relations  to  each 
other.  The  basis  of  standing  in  society,  and  of 
reputation  among  men,  is  gradually  shifting  from 
that  of  birth,  or  wealth,  or  any  of  the  merely  acci- 
dental and  false  grounds  of  social  distinction,  to 
that  of  real  worth  of  character  and  life,  such  as  has 
been  displayed  in  one  of  our  own  countrymen, 
who  has  so  recently  departed  this  life.  Of  humble 
origin,  and  wholly  destitute  of  any  adventitious 
circumstances  wherewith  to  win  favor  and  distinc- 
tion, he  has  risen  to  the  highest  position  of  esteem 
and  admiration  among  men,  by  the  sheer  force  of 
simple,  unpretending  goodness  in  character,  and  of 
the   most  bountiful   and   loving   liberality  to   the 


46  Finsr  cnrncn,  orange. 

poor,  the  ignorant,  the  suffering,  and  the  down- 
trodden. What  a  contrast  to  his  life,  and  to  the 
esteem  in  which  he  is  held,  and  what  an  evidence 
also  that  the  mere  possession  of  money  cannot  buy 
the  esteem  of  men,  is  exhibited  in  one  of  his  com- 
peers in  wealth  who  has  recently  had  the  doubtful 
compliment  paid  him  of  the  erection  of  a  magnifi- 
cent bronze  statue  in  his  honor,  the  unveiling  of 
which  was  made  the  subject  of  such  burlesque  and 
ridicule  the  other  day,  among  those  who  know  him 
best,  and  where  he  had  gained  his  fortune  in  large 
measure. 

Nor  less  significant  are  present  indications  as  to 
what  the  future  is  to  be  in  its  religious  aspect.  It 
always  betokens  a  great  advance  in  the  kingdom  of 
grace,  when  you  find  Satan  setting  up  his  throne  of 
power,  and  actively  engaged  in  rallying  his  forces 
to  fresh  onset,  and  to  redoubled  exertions  for  the 
overthrow  of  righteousness.  When  the  Son  of  God 
came  to  earth,  the  evil  one  at  once  set  on  foot  a 
project  for  his  destruction;  and  so  it  was  at  the 
time  when  he  entered  upon  his  public  ministry,  and 
thereafter.  Satan  was  ever  on  the  alert  and  most 
determined  in  his  efforts  of  opposition  to  Him,  and 


SERMON.  47 

to  Ilis  work  of  grace.      When  the  early  church 
began   to   spread   itself  in    every   direction,   what 
fierce  persecutions  he  incited  and  set  in  motion,  in 
order  to  forestall,  and  put  down,  and  crush  it  out 
if  possible.     So  has  it  ever  been  from  that  time  to 
this.     He  scents  danger  to  his   rule  among  men 
from  afar,  and  is  quick  to  ward  it  off  if  possible. 
What  we  behold,  then,  of  desperate  assault  upon 
the  person  and  work  of  our  divine  Lord,  and  upon 
the   written    word   of  Eevelation,   and   upon   the 
church,  by  those  in  league  with  Satan,  and  obe- 
dient to  his  dictation,  only  betokens  a  movement 
already  in  progress  which  is  destined  to  result  in 
highly  exalting  Him  in  the  esteem  of  men,  and 
leading  them  to  enthrone  Him  in  their  hearts  as 
well  as  over  their  lives,  the  Lord  of  all,  as  never 
before.     Even  this  great  assemblage  now  conven- 
ing on  the  banks  of  the  Tiber  for  the  purpose  of 
tightening    the    chains    of    spiritual    bondage,   in 
which  Satan  has  so  long  held  millions  enslaved, 
through  the  instrumentality  of  a  corrupt  church, 
is  most  conclusive  evidence  that  these  slaves  are 
threatening  to  break  loose  therefrom  entirely,  and 
foreshadows  their  emancipation  as  near  at  hand. 


48  FIRST  CITUIlCn,    ORANGE. 

What  magnificent  opportunities,  also,  are  offer- 
ing for  the  spread  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and 
for  the  wide  diffusion  of  His  gospel.  What  facili- 
ties also  are  afforded  wherewith  to  accomplish  what 
remains  to  he  done  to  possess  the  world  for  Jesus, 
by  reason  of  the  proximity  into  which  the  most 
distant  nations  are  brought  in  relation  to  each 
other,  and  the  action  and  reaction  which  they  are 
having  upon  one  another  in  every  possible  way. 
The  church,  too,  in  its  every  separate  branch,  and 
throughout  its  entire  membership,  is  beginning  to 
awake,  to  put  on  its  strength,  and  to  gird  itself  for 
the  great  spiritual  warfare  which  is  before  it.  It  is 
uniting  its  scattered  and  hitherto  conflicting  bands 
around  their  common  standard,  the  Cross.  It  is 
inspiring  itself  with  new  zeal,  and  faith,  and  love, 
and  is  proposing  to  itself  magnificent  enterprises  in 
the  building  up  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  such 
as  the  men  of  this  world  fearlessly  undertake  for 
the  advancement  of  their  material  interests.  It 
seems  to  be  unwilling  any  longer  that  it  should  be 
said  of  itself,  "the  children  of  this  world  are  wiser 
in  their  generation  than  the  children  of  light." 

It  is  upon  such  a  future  in  the  world  at  large, 


SERMON.  49 

which  I  have  attempted  to  portray,  but  which  no 
words  of  mine  can  adequately  set  forth,  that  this 
church  is  to  enter.  And  it  is  a  future  wherein  it 
may  perform  a  most  important  part,  and  achieve 
results  which  it  is  given  to  few  to  attain.  For  if 
you  will  now  turn  your  eyes  from  this  broad  out- 
look upon  what  is  before  us,  to  that  which  is 
nearer  at  hand  and  more  immediately  concerns 
this  church  in  time  to  come,  you  cannot  fail  to  see 
that  its  opportunities  and  facilities  for  service  in 
Christ's  name  are,  in  common  with  those  of  its 
sister  churches  in  this  region,  almost  unparalleled. 
If  the  great  metropolis  of  which  we  are  in  reality, 
though  not  in  name,  already  a  part,  should  con- 
tinue to  be  the  grand  commercial  emporium  that 
it  now  is — and  nobody  dreams  of  the  contrary — 
increasing  and  overflowing  from  year  to  year,  in 
the  future  as  it  has  done  in  the  past,  then  we  are  to 
be  located  in  the  midst  of  a  dense  population,  for 
the  most  part  intelligent,  cultivated,  full  of  busi- 
ness energy  and  skill.  It  bids  fair  to  be  a  popula- 
tion second  to  none  in  the  land,  for  the  qualities  of 
character  and  action  which  are  needful  in  the  ser- 
vice of  Christ ;   one  neither  puffed  up  with  pride 


50  FIRST  CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

by  reason  of  great  wealth,  nor  swallowed  up  by  the 
eddying  currents  of  the  whirlpool  of  fashion,  nor 
so  extremely  select  and  super-refined  in  their  aris- 
tocratic notions  that  the  lowly  and  humble  work  to 
which  the  despised  Nazarene  calls  His  disciples  will 
be  altogether  too  much  beneath  them.  There  is 
no  grander  field  for  christian  activity  than  is  thus 
opening  more  and  more  on  every  hand,  right  about 
us. 

Then,  too,  we  are  placed  near  the  heart,  and  not 
at  the  extremities,  by  our  proximity  to  the  chief 
city  in  importance  of  the  western  continent.  It  is 
one  of  the  world's  great  marts  for  traffic  and  com- 
merce, and  the  center-point  whither  men  congre- 
gate from  every  land  and  nationality  under  the 
heavens.  Christians  here,  in  their  daily  contact 
with  these  men,  may  make  their  own  individual 
influence  world-wide.  A  church  situated  as  this 
is,  and  composed  of  those  who,  like  the  early 
christians,  preach  the  Word  wherever  they  go,  by 
pure  lives,  by  loving  words  of  warning  and  en- 
treaty, and  by  good  deeds  of  mercy  and  charity, 
may  make  itself  felt  with  mighty  power  through- 
out the  length  and  breadth  of  the  earth.     Truly 


SERMON.  51 

it  is — to  use  the  Saviour's  own   comparison — "  a 
city  that  is  set  on  a  hill,  that  cannot  be  hid." 

What  ought  not  a  church  to  be,  and  to  do,  which 
is  thus  favorably  situated,  and  has  such  advantages 
and  opportunities  afforded  it  for  making  its  power 
felt,  both  here  and  everywhere  throughout  the 
wide  world  ?  How  peremptorily  is  it  called  upon 
to  summon  its  energies  to  accomplish  its  utmost,  as 
it  enters  upon  another  half  century  of  its  existence, 
at  a  time  like  this !  How  ought  it  to  be  stimulated 
to  activity  when  such  a  glorious  era  is  dawning 
upon  the  world,  so  full  of  inspiration  to  high  and 
holy  endeavor,  and  lofty  and  sublime  undertaking; 
when  everything  is  conspiring  to  render  what  the 
people  of  God  may  do  for  the  upbuilding  of  the 
Redeemer's  Kingdom  eminently  successful !  Espe- 
cially, what  is  there  that  ought  to  belong  to  any 
church,  that  should  not  characterize  our  own,  in 
the  future  which  lies  before  us  ?  "What  a  past 
history  it  has  !  What  precious  legacies  of  holy 
example,  triumphant  faith,  fervent  prayer,  and 
noble  achievement !  How  it  has,  by  these  many 
years  of  experience  and  discipline,  become  estab- 
lished and  settled,  grown  strong   and   stable,  and 


first  church,  orange. 

become  toughened  in  its  every  fibre,  and  inured 
to    endurance,    and    schooled    to    patient    continu- 
ance in  well-doing!     Surely  none  should  be   suf- 
fered to  surpass  it  in  the  piety  of  its  membership, 
their  purity  of  life,  their  holy  zeal,   their  ardent 
devotion,   their  indomitable   energy,   their   unwa- 
vering  faith,   their   willingness   to  spend   and   be 
spent   for   Christ,   their  boldness  of  undertaking, 
their   exalted   conceptions   of  what  is  their   high 
privilege,  their  joy  and  gladness  in  labor,  toil  and 
self-sacrifice  for  their  Divine  Master,  in  imitation 
of  His   example.      May   God  grant   that   such   a 
practical  appreciation  of  the  future  which  is  before 
this  church,  and  of  its  great  privilege  and  respon- 
sibility in  view  thereof,  as  I  have  set  it  forth,  shall 
be  another  answer  which  we  shall  give  to  the  ques- 
tion, "What  mean  ye  by  this  service  ?" 

III.  But  we  may  not  stop  here.  Still  further 
answer  must  we  give  to  this  query  which  we  have 
put  to  one  another.  And  it  relates  to  the  present. 
We  are  to  respond  as  members  of  this  church  in 
regard  to  what  we  will  do,  in  view  of  the  position 
which    we   now   occupy— a   position    midway   be- 


SERMON.  58 

tween  its  past  and  its  future.  It  is  no  light  thing 
to  stand  where  we  do  to-day.  It  involves  no  ordi- 
nary responsibility.  Not  only  do  we  hold  in  our 
hands,  and  subject  to  our  disposal,  what  has  already 
transpired  in  the  history  of  this  church,  which  is 
fitted  to  be  of  future  service,  but  we  are  to  deter- 
mine what  shall  transpire  in  time  to  come  in  large 
measure.  Its  ongoing  is  to  be  through  us  who 
are  now  upon  the  stage  of  action.  We  must  do 
much,  whatever  our  course  of  conduct  in  this 
matter  may  be,  to  give  it  shape  and  direction. 
We  have  to  do  with  the  prayers  and  labors,  the 
seed  sowing,  and  the  tearful,  but  patient  and  hope- 
ful watering  of  the  same  on  the  part  of  God's  ser- 
vants for  a  century  and  a  half.  It  rests  with  us 
whether  what  has  already  borne  much  fruit,  but  is 
capable  of  bringing  forth  in  years  to  come  mani- 
fold more  than  in  those  gone  by,  shall  yield  yet 
more  glorious  harvests,  for  the  ingathering  of  the 
angel  reapers.  How  sacred,  the  trust  committed 
to  us !     How  solemn  the  duty  in  view  thereof! 

Especially  is  this  the  case,  when  it  seems  as  if 
the  very  midsummer  of  the  church's  history  is  fast 


:'l  FIRST   CHURCH,  ORANGE. 

approaching,  and  even  now  is  close  at  hand.     For 
no  one  can  for  a  moment  doubt  that  the  next  half 
century  of  its  existence,  under  the  circumstances 
which  arc  certain  to  surround  it,  may  be  far  richer 
in  results  than  any  similar  period  in  the  past.     It 
would  seem  as  if  this  church  were  now  about  to 
enter  upon  the   golden   age   in   its  history.     And 
who  of  us  shall  dare  to  be  in  the  way  of  the  reali- 
zation of  all  that  maybe  reasonably  anticipated  for 
it  ':     Who  does  not  see  that  to  be  recreant  to  duty 
at  such  a  time  as  this,  is  to  trifle  with  the  most 
sacred  of  trusts,  and  with  the  most  inviting  and 
promising  opportunities  for  the  fulfilment  of  what 
is   reposed   in   us  ?     We  cannot  be   unmindful  of 
what  belongs  to  us,  in  view  of  the  position  which 
we  occupy,  and  neglectful  of  the  duty  growing  out 
of  the  same,  without  inflicting  a  great  wrong,  both 
upon  those  who  have  preceded  us,  into  the  fruit  of 
whose  labors  we  enter,  and  upon  those  who  are  to 
rum,'  alter  us,  over  whose  interests  we  at  present 
have  control.     It  is  with  us  as  when  an  army,  con- 
tending  Long  and    bravely   against   a  powerful   and 

determined  foe,  gains  substantia]  advantages,  and 


SERMON. 

puts  itself  in  position  at  last  to  push  the  enemy  to 
the  wall,  and  achieve  glorious  results;  but  finds 
that  through  exhaustion  and  the  decimation  of 
its  ranks  by  death,  it  can  go  no  further.  Fresh 
troops  come  upon  the  field,  to  whom  the  privilege 
is  given  of  taking  up  what  has  already  been 
accomplished  by  it,  and  all  the  advantages  which 
now  lie  before  it,  and  make  them  successful  be- 
yond what  has  ever  been  dreamed  of  by  those  who 
have  hitherto  borne  the  brunt  of  the  conflict. 
How  momentous  the  position  in  which  such  a 
body  of  soldiers  is  placed!  How  important  that 
they  at  once,  and  with  their  whole  energy,  spring 
to  their  task,  and  carry  all  before  them,  until  vic- 
tory be  complete,  and  all  its  fruits  be  secured. 

But  suppose  that  they  do  not,  and  are  unmindful 
of  their  position,  and  of  the  critical  juncture  which 
they  are  called  to  meet.  What  disgrace,  what 
burning  shame  would  cover  them  !  How  would 
they  deserve  to  have  the  arms  of  their  own  com- 
rades who  have  fought  so  bravely,  turned  against 
them,  and  they  be  driven  from  the  field,  where 
they  have  brought  such  dishonor  upon  not  them- 


56  FIRST  CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

selves  aloue,  but  upon  those  whom  they  should 
have  covered  with  glory  by  causing  their  efforts  to 
be  successful,  in  the  attainment  of  their  object. 

This  church  is  such  an  army,  and  is  engaged  in 
the   great  warfare  with  the  powers  of  darkness. 
Steadily  and  persistently,  through  many  years  of 
conflict,   has   it   waged   successful   warfare,  never 
trailing  its  standard  in  the  dust,  never  giving  way 
before  the  enemy,  though  ofttimes  he  has  come  in 
like  a  flood,  until  now  a  point  is  reached  where  the 
future  is  bright  with  promise  of  the  most  signal 
and  sublime  results,  and  the   advantages  already 
obtained  are  of  such  a  character  as  to  warrant  the 
expectation   that    these   results   may   be   realized. 
But  they  who  have  thus  manfully  struggled,  bear- 
ing the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day,  where  are 
they  ?     They  have  one  by  one  fallen  out  of  their 
places,  even  while  fighting,  and  with  their  armor 
on,  and  they  sleep  in  the  city  of  the  dead,  and  their 
souls  have  gone  to  their  rest  and  reward.      We 
have   come  forward   to   take   their   places.      And 
shall  we  fail  to  meet  the  present  momentous  crisis? 
Shall  we   be   recreant  to  duty,  when  so  much  is 


SERMON.  57 

within  easy  grasp,  and  everything  conspires  to 
incite  endeavor,  nerve  us  with  courage,  and  fill  us 
with  hope,  nay  with  the  most  confident  expecta- 
tion ?  Ileaven  forbid !  We  will  not  act  thus 
basely.  We  will  not  bring  this  deepest  disgrace 
upon  ourselves,  and  upon  those  into  whose  labors 
we  enter,  that  we  may  reap  the  fruits  thereof.  Be 
it  rather  our  determined  resolve  to  accept  the  trust 
which  they  of  the  past  have  given  into  our  hands, 
together  with  all  that  it  brings  in  the  way  of 
advantage,  and  in  the  form  of  responsibility.  Be 
it  ours  to  comprehend  and  deeply  appreciate  the 
significance  of  the  times  in  which  we  live,  and  the 
promise  of  the  future  just  before  us.  And  in  view 
of  both,  here  and  now  let  us  solemnly  dedicate 
ourselves  to  Christ,  and  to  the  work  of  promoting 
and  building  up  this  church,  in  a  manner  commen- 
surate with  our  privilege  and  opportunity.  Let  us 
do  this  with  a  fixedness  of  purpose  that  knows  no 
wavering,  and  with  a  loftiness  of  aim  which  shall 
in  no  way  fall  below  what  the  future  seems  to  give 
the  certainty  of  attaining.  How  are  we  con- 
strained to  do  this,  as  to-day  we  stand  in  the 
4 


58  FIRST   CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

presence  of  those  who  have  gone  before  us  in 
occupying  the  places  which  we  now  fill !  Though 
they  have  been  numbered,  some  of  them  long, 
with  the  general  assembly  of  the  church  of  the 
First  Born  on  high,  yet  think  you  that  they  are 
indifferent  spectators  from  yonder  heavenly  heights 
of  what  is  transpiring  here  at  this  very  hour  ?  Are 
those  who  have  stood  in  this  pulpit  as  the  messen- 
gers of  God  to  dying  men,  and  gone  among  these 
homes  caring  for  the  flock  of  God,  as  faithful 
shepherds,  through  whose  labors  in  word  and  doc- 
trine this  church  has  been  established  and  made  to 
flourish;  those  who  have  died  at  their  post  with 
their  harness  on,  and  whose  memories  have  been 
honored  by  these  monumental  inscriptions  sacred 
thereto ;  are  they  unmindful  of  what  we  are  now 
doing,  and  of  what  we  here  engage  that  we  will 
undertake,  in  view  of  what  lies  before  us  ?  I  tell 
you,  nay.  These  all  are  as  a  great  cloud  of  wit- 
nesses by  which  we  are  compassed  about,  and  they 
hold  us  in  full  survey.  I  seem  to  hear  them  from 
the  heavenly  heights  saying  to  us,  "  It  was  ours  to 
sow.     It  is  yours  to  reap.     Fail  not  to  do  your 


SERMON.  59 

appointed  work,  that  both  <  he  that  soweth  and  he 
that  reapeth  may  rejoice  together,'  in  the  day  of 
final  ingathering." 

The  great  Napoleon  once  sought  to  inspire  his 
army  with  enthusiasm  for  the  task  before  them, 
and  nerve  them  to  the  highest  endeavor,  while 
fighting  in  Egypt,  within  sight  of  its  pyramids,  by 
shouting  to  them  as  they  were  about  to  go  into 
battle,  "  Soldiers,  forty  centuries  look  down  upon 
you."  So  may  it  be  said  to  you,  but  with  greater 
significance  and  more  solemn  emphasis,  and  with 
far  more  to  inspire  and  kindle  your  hearts  with 
enthusiasm.  Men  and  women  of  this  church,  full 
five  generations  look  down  upon  you — not  in  the 
form  of  speechless  monuments  of  human  achieve- 
ment, but  in  the  persons  of  your  brethren  in 
Christ.  They  are  a  part  of  this  branch  of  the 
great  family  of  the  redeemed,  who  have  crossed 
the  flood,  where  they  watch  with  intense  interest 
the  ongoing  of  what  is  so  dear  to  them  in  remem- 
brance, and  is  so  closely  associated  with  their  own 
past  history. 

How  do  they  of  the  generations  yet  to  come  also 


GO  FIRST  CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

rise  up,  and  beckon  to  us  with  uplifted  finger. 
They  bid  us  note  well  the  significance  of  all  the 
great  movements  which  are  transpiring  in  the 
earth,  and  mark  with  care  what  the  indications 
are  respecting  the  prosperity  of  our  beloved  Zion. 
They  call  upon  us  to  see  what  achievements  may 
yet  be  granted  through  its  instrumentality  for  the 
honor  of  our  dear  Lord,  far  surpassing  and  eclips- 
ing all  that  has  ever  yet  been  attained — all  of 
which  may  be  transmitted  to  them  as  their  inher- 
itance. 

When  asked,  then,  "  What  mean  ye  by  this  ser- 
vice?" let  us,  in  addition  to  the  answers  already 
given,  with  firm  resolve  and  humble  dependence 
upon  Almighty  God,  and  in  clear  ringing  tones, 
unitedly  reply,  we  mean  the  voluntary  and  abso- 
lute consecration  of  ourselves  to  the  Lord  Jesus  in 
the  accomplishment  of  the  great  work  which  He 
has  given  us  to  perform,  as  members  of  this  His 
church.  We  here  give  ourselves,  afresh,  and  with- 
out reserve,  to  be  employed  in  promoting  its 
advancement,  and  the  honor  of  our  common  Lord, 
through  its  instrumentality ;   saying  to  ourselves, 


SERMON. 


Gl 


as  did  the  Hebrews  of  old  by  the  rivers  of  Babylon, 
concerning  Jerusalem,  "If  I  forget  thee,  let  my 
right  hand  forget  her  cunning.  If  I  do  not  remem- 
ber thee,  let  my  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof  of  my 
mouth  ;  if  I  prefer  not  Jerusalem  above  my  chief 

joy-" 


III. 

INAUGURATION  OF 

/IUKAL       TABLET 

TO   THE 

First  two  Ministers  of  the  Church, 

"V 

REV.  W.  HENRVGREEN,  D.  D. 


X 


**. 


"The    last  enemy  that    shall    be   destroyed    is  death." 

"  For   since    by   man  came  death,   by   man  came  also 

the  resurrection  of  the  dead." 

II  Cor.  xt. 


ADDRESS. 


HE  word  of  God  declares  that  the  right- 
eous shall  be  in  everlasting  remem- 
hMnMflMI  brance,  {Psalm  cxii:  6,)  and  the  memory 
of  the  just  is  blessed,  (Prov.  x :  7.)  Of  this  we 
have  an  illustration  in  this  large  and  spontaneous 
gathering  to  commemorate  the  founding  of  this 
church.  A  century  and  more  since  they  have 
entered  into  their  rest  and  their  reward,  this  whole 
community  rejoices  to  do  honor  to  that  pious  band 
of  Christian  men  and  women,  to  those  self-denying 
and  devoted  ministers  of  Christ,  who  planted  this 
church  in  what  was  then  a  wilderness.  It  is  now 
in  the  heart  of  a  populous  and  thriving  commu- 
nity— the  abode  of  civilization  and  wealth  and 
refinement — it  has  grown  to  fair  proportions — it 
has  sent  out  its  branches  on  every  side — this  whole 
region  is  dotted  with  flourishing  churches,  the 
offspring  of  this  parent  stock.      It  has  a  goodly 


C6  FIRST  CHURCH,   ORANGE. 

history  of  a  century  and  a  half  to  look  back  upon 
— a  record  of  the  ordinances  of  religion  sustained 
and  perpetuated  in  their  purity  and  power  through 
all  that  period — a  record  of  a  constantly  Increasing 
number  of  faithful  worshippers  to  honor  the  name 
of  Jesus,  to  exemplify  and  adorn  His  gospel,  and 
to  advance  His  cause  and  kingdom, — a  record  of 
souls  hopefully  converted  to  God,  generation  after 
generation,  who  have  gone  successively  to  swell 
the  company  of  the  Redeemed  above,  and  who  are 
now  rejoicing  in  the  presence  of  God  and  of  the 
Lamb, — and  an  ever-widening  circle  of  influence, 
which  has  leavened  this  whole  region,  set  its  stamp 
upon  its  population,  given  its  direction  to  the  cur- 
rent of  public  sentiment,  and  largely  contributed 
to  make  Orange  and  the  country  around  it  what  it 
is  this  day.  All  this  we  gratefully  refer  to  the 
self-denying  labors  and  privations  of  that  godly 
people  and  their  faithful  pastors,  who  laid  the 
foundation  of  this  church  of  Newark  Mountain. 
They  who  painfully  watched  and  nurtured  the 
feeble  germ  just  sprouting  from  the  earth,  might 
find  it  difficult  to  recognize  the  giant  trunk  be- 
neath whose  spreading  branches  we  are  gathered 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  67 

now,  with  its  noble  proportions,  its  pleasing  ver- 
dure and  its  refreshing  shade. 

The  good  men  whose  names  you  have  engraved 
upon  the  walls  of  this  church,  with  a  view  to  their 
perpetual  remembrance,  could  they  be  recalled 
from  their  blissful  seats,  would  not  recognize  the 
work  of  their  own  hands.  The  successive  build- 
ings which  they  erected,  and  in  which  they  wor- 
shipped, have  long  since  disappeared ;  the  voices 
which  there  proclaimed  the  word  of  life,  and  the 
voices  which  were  there  joined  in  songs  of  praise, 
have  long  since  been  hushed ;  the  ministers  and 
their  auditors  have  long  been  numbered  with  the 
dead ;  only  scanty  notices  of  them  remain,  which 
antiquarian  research  has  succeeded  in  gathering 
up ;  but  the  results  which  have  flowed  from  the 
beginnings  which  they  here  made,  are  their  im- 
perishable monument,  and  this  whole  generation, 
sensible  of  their  indebtedness,  rises  up  and  calls 
them  blessed. 

It  is  very  difficult  for  us  to  transport  ourselves 
back  to  the  times  in  which  our  fathers  lived — 
almost  as  impossible  as  it  would  have  been  for  them 
to  have  imaged  in  advance  the  condition  of  things 


cs  first  church;  orange. 

in  which  we  now  are.  We  most  recall  the  period 
when  this  new  continent  was  as  yet  unexplored  ; 
when  the  primeval  forests  covered  not  only  regions 
more  remote,  but  this  very  territory  all  about  us 
here,  except  as  the  few  sparse  settlers  had  effected 
their  partial  clearings,  and  the  axe  of  the  wood- 
man, and  "  Harrison's  saw-mill,"  made  their  in- 
roads upon  it;  when  this  was  frontier  ground: 
when  bounties  were  still  offered  for  the  destruction 
of  wolves,  and  panthers,  and  foxes  ;  when  the  sav- 
age aborigines  still  held  their  title  to  the  soil,  and 
the  French  and  the  Indians  were  forever  inspiring 
the  colonists  with  fresh  terrors  of  torture  or  of  mas- 
sacre ;  when,  instead  of  the  great  empire  now  built 
up  on  this  broad  continent,  under  whose  protection 
we  rejoice  and  which  takes  rank  with  the  most 
powerful  nations  of  the  earth,  there  were  only  a 
few  scattered  and  feeble  settlements  ;  when  New 
York  was  a  town  of  perhaps  7,000  or  8,000  inhab- 
itants ;  in  the  very  year  in  which  the  first  Prcshy- 
terian  church  was  founded  in  that  metropolis  of 
churches  ;  six  years  before  the  first  newspaper  was 
printed  there  ;  a  dozen  years  before  the  first  si; 
line  was  established  between  New  York  and  Bos- 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  G9 

ton,  running  once  in  a  month,  and  occupying  four- 
teen clays  in  the  journey;  when  New  Jersey  was 
still  under  the  Proprietary  government,  and  the 
grasping  demands  of  these  claimants  of  the  soil  led 
to  frequent  disturbances  on  the  part  of  the  hardy 
settlers  ;  when  the  seas  were  infested  by  pirates, 
and  the  notorious  Capt.  Kidd  had  but  recently 
been  arrested  in  his  murderous  career  ;  when  the 
entire  Presbyterian  body  in  this  whole  country 
could  muster  but  twenty-three  ordained  ministers, 
and  three  probationers ; — such  was  the  state  of 
things  when  the  foundation  of  this  church  was 
laid.  How  can  we  return  to  the  present  from  such 
glimpses  of  the  past,  without  thanking  God,  and 
taking  courage ! 

Several  years  ago.  I  remember  to  have  looked 
through  a  package  of  the  correspondence  of  Rev. 
Caleb  Smith,  preserved  in  the  family,  but  of  which 
I  have  now  only  a  very  imperfect  recollection.  I 
have,  however,  in  my  library,  a  copy  of  Poole's 
Commentary  on  the  Scriptures,  which  I  frequently 
consult,  and  greatly  value  for  its  intrinsic  excel- 
lence, but  which  I  hold  in  especial  esteem  on  ac- 
count of  its  history.    It  is  in  2  vols.,  folio.    The  title 


70  FIRST  CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

page  of  each  volume,  with  a  few  pages  at  the  begin- 
ning and  the  end,  have  been  torn  or  worn  away, 
though  the  volumes  are  otherwise  in  perfect  pre- 
servation. I  cannot,  therefore,  determine  the  year 
of  their  publication  ;  but  it  contains  a  family  record 
of  three  successive  generations.  The  second  family 
whose  history  is  here  traced,  is  that  of  Rev.  Caleb 
Smith,  the  second  pastor  of  this  church.  The  date 
of  his  own  birth,  that  of  his  marriage,  and  the 
births  of  his  several  children,  are  therein  clearly 
and  legibly  noted  by  his  own  hand.  I  may  men- 
tion that  these  dates,  which  are  unquestionably 
authentic,  while  corroborating  in  the  main  the 
figures  given  by  your  late  pastor,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Hoyt,  in  his  very  full  and  accurate  history  of  this 
church,  suggest  a  slight  amendment  in  one  par- 
ticular. Rev.  Mr.  Smith  was  married  one  year 
earlier  than  is  stated  by  Mr.  Hoyt — September  7, 
1748,  0.  S. ;  (and  not  September,  1749.)  So  slight 
a  correction  would  scarcely  be  worth  referring  to, 
except  as  it  destroys  some  of  the  romance  which  in 
the  admirable  history  of  this  church  before  men- 
tioned, is  gathered  about  the  young  minister  then 
recently  settled  in  this  parish,  and   his  frequent 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  71 

visits  upon  a  tender  errand  to  Elizabethtown — the 
home  of  Miss  Martha  Dickinson — while  the  par- 
sonage was  in  the  course  of  construction  by  the 
considerate  people  of  his  charge.  I  am  sorry  to 
mar  this  pleasing  picture,  but  historic  truth  obliges 
me  to  say  that  Mr.  Smith  was  already  married  at 
the  time  of  his  settlement,  and  the  special  occasion 
for  visits  of  the  kind  referred  to  was  therefore 
past. 

Another  consideration  which  obliges  me  to 
insist  upon  the  correction  of  this  error,  trifling  as 
it  seems,  is  that  Mr.  Smith's  eldest  daughter  Anna, 
from  whom  I  claim  the  honor  of  being  descended, 
if  she  was  ever  born  at  all,  was  born  before  Sep- 
tember, 1749.  So  that  this  unfortunate  mistake 
would  have  the  effect  of  rendering  her  existence 
purely  mythical,  if  not  of  entirely  annihilating  the 
entire  body  of  her  descendants  ;  a  misfortune  to 
which  we  cannot  be  expected  tamely  to  submit. 

This  venerable  Commentary  of  which  I  have 
spoken,  no  doubt  had  its  place  in  the  pastor's 
study,  in  the  new  parsonage,  and  contributed  its 
share  to  his  instructions  and  his  expositions  of 
Scripture,  during  his  entire  pastorate. 


72  FIRST   CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

Before  they  came  into  the  possession  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Smith,  these  volumes  had  been  owned  by  his 
father-in-law,  Rev.  Mr.  Dickinson,  of  Elizabeth- 
town.  Mr.  Smith,  soon  after  his  graduation  at 
Yale  College,  came,  at  Mr.  Dickinson's  invitation, 
to  assist  him  in  teaching  his  classical  school,  the 
germ  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey.  AVhile  there 
he  studied  theology,  and  was  licensed  by  the 
Presbytery  of  New  York.  Ilis  acceptability  as 
a  preacher  is  shown  by  the  fact  of  his  receiving 
calls  from  a  number  of  different  churches,  among 
which  he  concluded  to  accept  that  which  was  ten- 
dered to  him  from  this  church.  He  was  accord- 
ingly settled  here,  in  November,  1748,  bringing 
with  him,  as  his  wife,  Mr.  Dickinson's  youngest 
daughter,  to  whom  he  had  been  married  two 
months  before,  and  who  is  represented  to  have 
been  a  lady  of  rare  excellence. 

According  to  the  family  record  to  which  I  have 
already  several  times  referred,  Mr.  Dickinson  had 
eight  children.  The  seventh,  his  daughter  Mary, 
was  born  in  October,  1722,  and  baptised  by  Mr. 
Webb.  The  readers  of  Mr.  Iloyt's  history  will 
recognize  this  as  the  name  of  the  minister,  whom 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  73 

an  incorrect  tradition  makes  to  have  been  the  pre- 
decessor of  Rev.  Mr.  Taylor  as  the  pastor  of  this 
church,  but  who  was  really  settled  over  the  church 
in  Newark,  though  he  may  have  occasionally  sup- 
plied this  church  before  they  obtained  the  services 
of  a  regular  pastor;  and  who  was  subsequently 
drowned,  together  with  his  son,  while  crossing  the 
Connecticut  river  at  Saybrook. 

Mr.  Dickinson's  youngest  daughter,  Martha,  the 
future  Mrs.  Smith,  was  born  in  May,  1726,  and 
baptised  the  same  day,  by  Mr.  Jedediah  Andrews, 
the  first  Presbyterian  minister  ever  settled  in  Phil- 
adelphia. 

Of  Rev.  Daniel  Taylor,  the  first  pastor  of  this 
church,  I  know  nothing  beyond  what  is  stated 
in  Mr.  Hoyt's  history,  with  which  you  are  all 
familiar.  His  ministry  carries  us  back  to  the 
formative  period  of  this  congregation,  when  its 
ecclesiastical  organization  even  had  not  been  deter- 
mined. It  seems  to  have  been  first  congregational. 
When,  or  under  what  influences,  it  became  finally 
Presbyterian,  is  not  certainly  known.  It  might 
help  to  clear  up  some  doubtful  or  disputed  points 

5 


74  FIRST   CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

in  the  ecclesiastical  history  of  this  region,  if  this 
could  he  satisfactorily  ascertained.  But  there  are 
no  contemporaneous  records  to  lend  us  a  clue  in 
this  matter,  and  it  must  remain  enveloped  in  ob- 
scurity. 

We  know,  at  all  events,  that  Rev.  Caleb  Smith 
was  a  Presbyterian  ;  that  he  was  installed  here  by 
the  Presbytery  of  New  York ;  and  that  from  that 
time  forth,  if  never  before,  this  church  was  em- 
braced in  the  Presbyterian  connection. 

The  schism  in  the  Presbyterian  church,  which 
led  to  the  formation  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  by 
ministers  who  withdrew  from  the  Synod  of  Phila- 
delphia, had  taken  place  but  three  years  before  the 
settlement  of  Rev.  Mr.  Smith  in  this  place.  At 
the  very  next  meeting  of  the  Synod  of  New  York, 
in  May,  1749,  a  motion  was  offered,  and  prevailed, 
to  make  proposals  of  union  to  the  Synod  of  Phila- 
delphia, and  to  appoint  delegates  to  wait  upon  the 
Synod  of  Philadelphia  with  these  proposals.  Ne- 
gotiations were  carried  on  between  the  two  Synods 
for  several  years.  At  length,  in  the  autumn  of 
1756,  the  Synod  of  New  York  appointed  a  com- 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  75 

mittee,  of  which  Kev.  Caleb  Smith  was  one,  to 
meet  with  a  similar  committee  from  the  Synod  of 
Philadelphia,  to  fix  upon  a  proper  plan  of  union, 
to  be  laid  before  each  Synod  at  their  next  meeting. 
This  plan  was  drawn  up,  submitted  to  the  two 
Synods,  accepted  by  them,  and  the  United  Synod 
of  New  York  and  Philadelphia  met  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  in  May,  1758.  It  is  a  pleasing  omen 
in  connection  with  your  anniversary  celebration, 
that  a  like  union,  only  on  a  far  larger  scale,  has 
just  been  effected  between  the  two  great  Presbyte- 
rian bodies  in  this  land ;  and  that  next  May  will 
witness  the  assembling,  in  the  city  of  Brotherly 
Love,  not  of  a  united  Synod  of  six  or  seven  Pres- 
byteries, and  sixty  or  seventy  ministers,  but  a 
united  General  Assembly  of  more  than  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  Presbyteries,  and  four  thousand 
ministers. 

I  find  the  name  of  Mr.  Smith  upon  several  im- 
portant committees,  appointed  at  different  times 
by  the  Synod;  e.g.,  to  prepare  a  plan  respecting 
a  fund  for  the  support  of  ministers'  widows  and 
orphans  ;  to  examine  needy  candidates  for  the  min- 


76  FIRST  CHURCH,  ORANGE. 

istry  ;  to  prepare  an  address  to  the  commander-in- 
chief  of  all  his  majesty's  forces.  Once  it  is  as  the 
Commission  of  the  Synod  of  New  York,  empow- 
ered to  sit  in  the  intervals  of  the  regular  session,  to 
transact  Synodical  business  ;  and  once  as  the  Com- 
mission of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadel- 
phia. And  all  his  pacific  qualities,  for  which  he 
was  distinguished,  were  brought  into  requisition 
by  his  being  placed  on  a  committee  to  appease  the 
strife  which  had  broken  out  in  the  refractory 
church  in  New  York  city,  with  its  discordant 
elements,  and  which  gave  the  Synod  a  world  of 
trouble,  coming  up  by  complaint  on  reference  year 
after  year.  One  grievance  related  to  Psalmody  ; 
part  of  the  congregation  being  wedded  to  Rouse, 
and  another  part  preferring  Watts,  the  first  edi- 
tion of  whose  Psalms,  I  may  remark,  was  pub- 
lished in  London  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago, 
the  very  year  that  this  church  was  founded.  Ano- 
ther related  to  the  singing  of  anthems  in  church, 
which  greatly  offended  the  consciences  of  some 
good  people.  Another  cause  of  complaint  was, 
that  their  minister  offered  prayer  at  funerals,  when 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  77 

solicited  by  the  relatives  of  the  deceased  to  do  so, 
and  this  they  thought  smacked  of  popery.  Ano- 
ther was,  that  some  of  them  thought  it  unpresby- 
terian  that  the  property  of  the  church  should  be 
held  by  trustees,  instead  of  being  committed  to  the 
deacons.  All  which  goes  to  show  that  there  were 
impracticable  people  then,  as  now ;  and  if  the  com- 
mittee sent  to  quiet  the  matter  succeeded  in  so 
doing,  they  must  have  had  occasion  for  all  their 
arts  of  pacification. 

It  may  also  be  interesting  to  note  that  the 
Synod,  in  1751,  enjoined  upon  all  their  churches 
to  take  up  an  annual  collection  for  the  purpose  of 
propagating  the  gospel  among  the  heathen  ;  and  it 
appears  from  the  minutes  of  the  succeeding  meet- 
ing of  Synod,  that  this  church,  as  well  as  others, 
did  take  up  the  required  collection  ;  and  the  sum 
so  raised  was  put  into  the  hands  of  Eev.  John 
Brainerd,  for  the  support  of  missions  among  the 
Indians,  chiefly  in  New  Jersey  and  in  Eastern 
Pennsylvania.  It  would  be  curious  to  know  what 
was  the  amount  of  this  early  collection  for  the 
cause  of  missions.     Mr.  Smith's  lively  interest  in 


78  FLBST  OHURGH,    ORAXGE. 

the  spread  of  the  Gospel  among  the  unevangelized, 
may  be  inferred  from  his  uniting  with  a  number  of 
other  ministers,  in  this  country  and  in  Scotland,  in 
a  weekly  and  a  quarterly  concert  of  prayer  for  this 
end. 

But  it  would  be  unpardonable  in  me  not  to 
refer  to  Mr.  Smith's  connection  with  the  college 
of  New  Jersey,  of  which  he  was  a  trustee  from 
1750  till  his  death,  in  1762;  for  a  brief  time  its 
acting  President ;  and  always  its  ardent  and  de- 
voted friend.  With  a  brief  account  of  this  matter, 
I  shall  close  these  desultory  remarks,  already  too 
protracted. 

The  first  charter  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey 
dated  from  the  year  1746.  It  was  actually  organ- 
ized in  May,  1747.  Rev.  Mr.  Dickinson,  of  Eliza- 
bethtown,  was  its  first  President ;  and  as  Mr. 
Smith  was  engaged  as  his  assistant,  he  may  be 
styled  the  first  usher  or  tutor  in  the  college.  Upon 
the  death  of  Mr.  Dickinson,  within  the  brief  period 
of  four  months  after  the  organization  of  the  col- 
lege, it  was  removed  to  Newark,  and  placed  under 
the  presidency  of  Rev.  Aaron  Burr,  pastor  of  the 


mAUGURAI  ADDRB  79 

church  in  that  place.  The  first  Commencement 
was  held  in  the  Newark  meeting-house,  when  a 
class  of  six  graduated  ;  one  of  the  members  being 
Hon.  Richard  Stockton,  Chief  Justice  of  the  State 
of  New  Jersey,  a  member  of  the  Continental  Con- 
gress, and  a  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Indepen- 
dence. The  second  in  New  Brunswick.  The  sub- 
sequent Commencements  in  Newark,  generally  in 
the  Court  House,  until  1756.  After  which  it  was 
removed  to  Princeton,  to  the  new  edifice  erected 
for  it,  named  after  William,  Prince  of  Orange, 
Nassau  Hall. 

President  Burr  dying  two  days  before  the  first 
Commencement  in  Princeton,  Rev.  Caleb  Smith 
preached  his  funeral  sermon,  by  appointment  of 
the  Board  of  Trustees ;  a  discourse  which  was  sub- 
sequently published  at  their  request.  Jonathan 
Edwards  being  chosen  Mr.  Burr's  successor,  Mr. 
Smith  and  John  Brainerd  were,  by  vote  of  trustees 
of  the  college,  requested  to  go  to  Stockbridge,  to 
attend  the  ecclesiastical  council  to  convene  relative 
to  his  dismission,  with  the  view  of  obtaining  his 
release  from  the  Indian  congregation  to  which  he 


80  FIBST  UHOJ&OH,  ORANGE. 

was  at  that  time  ministering.     The  untimely  death 
of  Mr.  Edwards,  which  occurred  about  two  months 
after  he  reached  Princeton,  left  the  college  once 
more  without  a  head.     A  President  was  accord, 
iugly  chosen,  and  Mr.  Smith  placed  upon  the  com- 
mittee  to   make    arrangements   for    his   removal. 
Meanwhile  Mr.  Smith  was  himself  appointed  to  act 
as  President  of  the  college  until  the  next  meeting 
of  the  Trustees.      At  that  meeting,  it  appearing 
that  the  President  elect  had  declined,  Mr.  Smith 
was  requested  to  continue  to  preside  in  the  college 
until  the  next  annual  Commencement,  and  to  con- 
fer the  degrees  upon  the  candidates.     The  Presi- 
dency of  the  college  at  that  time  involved  not  only 
giving  instruction,  and  the  oversight  of  the  institu- 
tion, but  preaching  in  the  college  chapel,  which 
was  the  only  place  of  public  worship  in  Princeton, 
and  was  accordingly  attended  by  the  inhabitants  of 
the  town,  and  the  pews  rented  to  occupants  as  in 
other  churches.     During  this  time  Mr.  Smith  con- 
tinued to  preach  one  Sabbath  in  four  in  his  own 
charge  ;  and  the  Synod  directed  the  Presbytery  of 
New  Brunswick  to  assist,  to  their  utmost,  in  sup- 


TXAUGTJRAL  ADDRESS.  81 

plying  his  congregation.  The  choice  of  the  Trus- 
tees next  fell  upon  Mr.  Samuel  Davies,  who  first 
declined,  but  afterward  accepted  the  appointment ; 
this  favorable  result  being  largely  due,  as  it  would 
appear,  to  the  personal  influence  of  Mr.  Smith, 
who  was  upon  the  committee  to  secure  his  accept- 
ance and  arrange  for  his  removal. 

As  an  indication  of  the  large  and  comprehensive 
views  which  were  at  that  time  entertained  regard- 
ing education  and  educational  institutions,  and  the 
schemes  which  were  projected  for  their  elevation 
and  improvement,  it  is  deserving  of  mention  that 
Mr.  Smith  presented  to  the  Trustees  a  plan  of 
union  among  the  several  colleges  in  the  American 
Provinces,  which  had  been  drawn  up  by  President 
Clap,  of  Yale  College.  No  action  was  taken  upon 
this  paper  at  the  time,  or  subsequently,  so  far  as 
is  known.  But  I  may  say  that  this  suggestion 
was  recently  renewed  by  President  McCosh,  of 
Princeton,  in  his  inaugural  address.  I  now  quote 
the  words  of  Dr.  McCosh :  "  I  have  sometimes 
thought  that,  as  Oxford  University  combines  some 
twenty-two  colleges,  and  Cambridge  eighteen,  so 


82  FIRST   CIIURCII,   ORANGE. 

there  might  in  this  country  be  a  combination  of 
colleges  in  one  university.  *  *  *  Some  such 
combination  as  this,  while  it  would  promote  a 
wholesome  rivalry  among  the  colleges,  would  at 
the  same  time  keep  up  the  standard  of  erudition. 
Another  benefit  would  arise :  the  examination  of 
candidates  being  conducted,  not  by  those  who 
taught  them,  but  by  elected  examiners,  would  give 
a  high  and  catholic  tone  to  the  teaching  in  the  col- 
leges." There  is  no  doubt  that  if  this  were  prac- 
ticable, valuable  and  important  ends  would  be 
accomplished  by  it. 

I  have  said  enough  to  show  that  Mr.  Smith 
yielded  to  none  in  his  interest  in  the  cause  of 
education  generally,  and  in  his  devotion  to  the 
welfare  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey,  which  was 
the  child  of  the  Synod,  cherished  by  the  whole 
body  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  whose  name, 
without  being  exclusive  or  sectarian,  has  ever  been 
identified  with  sound  learning  and  with  staunch 
Presbyterianism. 


MURAL   TABLET.  83 


ERECTED     NOV.     24,      1869, 

TO   THE   MEMORY    OF 

The    first    two    Ministers   of   this  Parish 

REVD  DANIEL  TAYLOR 

His   death,  Jan?  8,  1747-8, 

at  the  age  of  56, 

Closed  a  pastorate  of  about  25  years. 


REVD    CALEB    SMITH 

Ordained  and   installed  Nov.  30,  1748, 
Died   Oct.  22,  1762, 
Aged  39. 

Their  remains  await  the  resurrection  among 

those    of    their  flock    in    the 

Parish  burying-place. 


IV. 

HISTORJC^L    DISCOURSE 


BY 


REV.  E.  H.  GILLETT,  D.  D. 


"  This  shall    be  written   for  the  generation  to   come  ; 

and  the  people  which  shall   be  created  shall   praise  the 

Lord." 

Psalm  cii:  18. 


HISTORICAL   DISCOURSE 


[HE  life  of  an  institution  is  not  necessarily 
like  that  of  a  man,  bounded  by  a  period 
of  three-score  years  and  ten.  If,  like  a 
local  church,  it  has  in  it  the  elements  of  permanence, 
if  its  roots  strike  deep  into  the  soil  of  social  sym- 
pathy, if  it  is  forever  assimilating  to  itself  the 
materials  around  it,  it  may  endure  for  ages.  It 
may  see  generations  after  generations  pass  away, 
and  the  moss  gather  on  their  grave-stones  :  it  may 
look  down  on  changes  of  dynasties  and  govern- 
ments :  it  may  witness  social  and  civil  revolutions, 
forever  young  and  fresh,  while  the  hamlet  becomes 
a  village,  and  the  village  a  city  ;  while  the  grandest 
structures  of  human  art  crumble  to  decay,  and  the 
records  of  centuries  moulder  back  to  dust. 

To  stand  by  the  side  of  such  an  institution,  and 
to  look  up  at  it,  is  to  invoke  sacred  memories  of 


B8  HISTORICAL  DISCOURSE. 

the  past.  And  this  is  our  position  now.  More 
than  four  successive  generations,  that  have  wor- 
shipped here,  have  passed  away,  and  we  gather,  as 
it  were,  over  their  dust,  to  commemorate  the 
progress  and  review  the  history  of  what  they 
planted  and  cherished ;  and  under  the  shadow  of 
this  tree  of  centuries  we  look  upward  and  around 
us,  not  to  the  spectacle  of  dead  branches  and 
withered  leaves,  but  of  freshness  and  vigor  and 
verdure  that  have  outworn  decay. 

One  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago  !  The  Presby- 
terian church  in  this  land  was  then  a  feeble 
sapling,  with  uncertain  prospects  before  it.  It 
numbered  about  twenty-six  ministers,  and  possibly 
some  forty  feeble  churches.  But  there  were  those 
among  its  pastors  then  that  have  left  behind  them 
memorable  names.  James  Anderson,  just  settled 
at  New  York,  of  whom  the  historian  Wodrow, 
correspondent  of  Colman  and  the  Mathers,  speaks 
as  "  my  old  acquaintance," — Pumroy,  of  Newtown, 
Long  Island,  whose  son,  in  the  Great  Revival  of 
1740,  was  a  friend  of  Whitciield,  and  a  co-laborer 
with  Wheelock  and  Bellamy, — John  Thompson,  of 
Lewes,  Delaware,  subsequently  the  leading  member 


first  cnuRcn,  orange.  so 

of  what  was  known  as  the  "Old  Side," — Pierson, 
of  Woodbridge,  where  he  had  labored  for  two  years, 
the  third  in  a  line  of  ministers  worthily  held  in 
high  honor, — Robert  Cross,  just  settled  at  Newcas- 
tle, Delaware,  but  subsequently  destined  to  larger 
usefulness  at  Jamaica,  Long  Island,  and  Philadel- 
phia,— William  Tennent,  the  patriarch  of  Nesham- 
iny,  the  father  of  a  ministerial  household,  who 
were  to  make  the  name  famous  to  after  centuries ; 
and  among  others,  if  last  not  least,  "  the  great  Mr. 
Dickinson,"  Jonathan  Dickinson  of  Elizabethtown, 
a  man  who,  by  his  rare  gifts  and  graces,  his  learning 
and  wisdom,  was  facile  princeps  among  his  brethren, 
and  who  was  for  his  time  the  leading  champion 
against  the  claims  of  a  High  Church  Episcopacy, 
trusted  and  honored  alike  in  his  own  field,  in  New 
England  and  in  Scotland. 

Into  association  more  or  less  intimate  with  such 
men  came  Daniel  Taylor,  the  first  pastor  of  the 
church  of  Newark  Mountains,  some  four  or  five 
years  after  the  church  was  gathered.  To  Dickin- 
son, especially,  possessed  of  a  kindred  spirit  and  of 
the  same  political  sympathies,  he  must  have  been 
•    strongly  drawn.     Both  men  combatted  the  claims 


90  FIRST   CHUBCH,    ORANi 

of  the  Proprietors,  who  made  nothing  of  Indian 

deeds,  and  asserted  rights  of  property  which  were 
accounted  unwarranted  and  oppressive.  Each  was 
in  more  than  an  ecclesiastical  sense  the  leader  of 
his  people,  and  each  was  an  honored  representative 
of  popular  rights.  Dickinson  died  October  12, 
1747,  and  Taylor  was  spared  for  his  work  less  than 
three  months  longer. 

If,  as  has  been  supposed,  the  organization  of  the 
church  of  Newark  Mountains  was  helped  forward 
by  dissatisfaction  with  the  Presbyterian  sympathy 
or  connection  of  the  mother  church  of  Newark, 
events  had  already  occurred  which  tended  to  unite 
them  in  kindlier  feeling.  In  1738,  Aaron  Burr 
was  settled  at  Newark,  and  in  the  following  year 
his  labors  were  crowned  with  a  powerful  revival. 
Undoubtedly  its  influence  extended  to  the  church 
of  Orange,  and  all  questions  of  ecclesiastical  sym- 
pathy were  overruled  by  the  questions  which  it 
excited.  The  "great  work  of  God,"  as  men  like 
Edwards  and  Wheelock  termed  it,  had  commenced, 
and  it  was  destined  to  sweep  with  irresistible  power 
throughout  the  bounds  of  the  American  churches. 
Denominational   lines  were  now  of  but  small  ac- 


HISTORICAL  DISCOURSE.  91 

count.  The  division  in  the  Middle  States,  as  in 
New  England,  was  between  the  friends  and  the 
opponents  of  the  revival.  Then  came  Gilbert  Ten- 
nent's  Nottingham  Sermon,  and  stormy  sessions  of 
the  Synod,  protests  and  counter  protests,  till  the 
Old  Side  and  the  New  Side  drew  apart  in  the 
division  of  1741.  Then  the  New  Brunswick  Pres- 
bytery became  the  champion  of  the  new  religious 
movement,  and  responded  to  the  calls  of  Con- 
necticut churches,  that  favored  the  revival,  to  sup- 
ply their  pulpits.  Then  came  the  persecuting 
Connecticut  laws  of  1742,  by  which  young  Finley, 
subsequently  President  of  the  College  at  Prince- 
ton, was  arrested,  and  sent  as  a  vagrant  beyond  the 
limits  of  the  colony  ;  laws  which  forbade  David 
Brainerd  to  show  his  face  at  New  Haven  for  fear 
of  imprisonment ;  laws  which  dogged  the  steps  of 
many  a  minister,  and  virtually  silenced  him  ;  laws 
which  sent  several  of  the  most  devout  and  fervent 
pastors  of  Connecticut  out  of  the  colony,  to  find, 
within  the  bounds  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  a 
freedom  that  they  could  not  hope  to  enjoy  under 
the  shadow  of  a  church  trammeled  by  the  State.* 

*  At  this  point  the  speaker  quoted  from  the   "  Historical 


92  FIRST  CHURCH,   OBANGB. 

In  such  circumstances,  men  who  might  other- 
wise have  lived  and  died  Congregationalists,  could 
remain  such  no  longer.  They  became  exiles  from 
their  former  homes,  that  under  the  Presbyterian 
system  they  might  enjoy  a  freedom  which  could 
not  be  allowed  them  as  pastors  of  Connecticut 
churches.  Into  this  region  they  came,  and  met  a 
hearty  welcome.  There  was  no  State  church  here. 
There  were  no  ecclesiastical  laws,  made  by  the 
civil  authority,  to  interfere  with  the  free  discharge 
of  their  duties,  and  they  gladly  accepted  the  privi- 
leges which  were  offered  here  by  the  friends  of  the 

Sketch  of  Religious  Liberty  in  Connecticut,"  (His.  Magazine, 
July  1868,  pp.  9,  10,)  as  follows  : 

"In  the  diary  of  David  Brainerd,  for  September  1742,  we  find 
that  he  had  preached  for  the  Separatist  Church,  organized  in 
New  Haven  in  the  preceding  May,  (5th)  by  Joseph  Bellamy. 
Samuel  Cooke,  John  Graham,  and  Elisha  Kent.  For  this,  he 
was  informed  that  the  civil  authorities  were  Beeking  an  oppor- 
tunity to  arrest  and  imprison  him.  lie  desired  to  meet  his 
friends  at  New  Haven,  but  he  dared  only  to  venture  to  the 
house  Of  an  acquaintance  at  a  distance  from  the  town.     *     *     * 

Thomas  Lewis  was  a  fellow  Btudenl  of  Brainerd,  graduating  at 
Yale  College  in  1741.  For  him,  zealous  in  the  cause  of  the 
revival,  there  was  no  toleration  within  the  bounds  of  Con- 
necticut; and  like  Davenport,  Symmes,  Allen  and  others.  New 


HISTORICAL  DISCOURSE.  93 

revival,  and  under  an  ecclesiastical  system  which 
secured  supervision  of  the  churches  without  the  aid 
of  Governors  or  sheriffs. 

It  was  thus,  that  whenever  the  question  of  eccle- 
siastical connection  or  sympathy  was  raised,  the 
Congregationalism  of  Connecticut,  leaning  on  State 
patronage  and  support,  represented  church  bond- 
age; and  the  Presbyterian  system,  independent  of 
State  aid  or  supervision,  represented  at  once  eccle- 
siastical liberty  and  sympathy  with  the  revival. 

In  such  circumstances  there  could  be  no  question 
on  what  side  men  like  Webb  and  the  Brainerds, 

Jersey  furnished  him  a  refuge,  and  in  1747  he  was  settled  at 
Bethlehem  in  that  province.     *     *     * 

"  lie  could  not  complain  of  the  character  of  those  that  suffered 
•with  him.  A  few  months  before,  Samuel  Finley,  subsequently 
President  of  Princeton  College,  was  sent  by  the  Presbytery  of 
New  Brunswick  to  supply  the  churches  formed  at  Milford  and 
New  Haven,  which  had  put  themselves  under  their  care.  For 
preaching  at  Milford,  he  was  arrested  and  sent  out  of  the 
Government  as  a  vagrant.  He  returned  and  preached  at  New 
Haven,  for  which  he  was  seized  at  the  meeting  house  door,  on 
Lord's  day  morning,  and  carried  away  by  an  officer.  He  re- 
turned again,  and  preached  to  the  people.  This  is  said  to 
have  induced  the  Legislature  to  enact  that  any  minister  who 
should  do  the  like,  should  be  imprisoned  till  he  gave  a  bond  in 
one  hundred  pounds  not  to  do  so  again." 


94  FIRST   CHURCH,   ORANGE. 

Dickinson,  Pierson,  and  doubtless  we  may  add 
Taylor  of  Orange,  long  before  his  death,  would  be 
found.  A  wonderful  Providence  had  made  ques- 
tions of  mere  church  order  or  organization  seem  of 
small  importance,  and  a  Congregational  zealot  of 
that  day  would  have  seemed  as  much  out  of  place 
here  as  a  swallow  in  January.  It  is  only  at  a  later 
period  that  Jacob  Green,  of  Hanover,  perhaps  the 
first  man  on  the  continent  that  called  himself  an 
Edwardian,  chose  to  take  a  position  outside  the 
pale  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  there  however  to 
organize  a  new  Presbytery  on  the  voluntary  prin- 
ciple, and  assume  the  privilege,  which  the  Synod 
denied,  of  sending  others  beside  liberally  educated 
men  to  work  in  the  great  field,  whitening  to  the 
harvest.  Seventeen  years  the  division  of  the  Old 
and  New  Side  continued.  In  1758  the  parted 
streams  mingled  once  more  in  a  common  current. 
Daniel  Taylor  had  gone  to  his  rest ;  and  Caleb 
Smith,  a  young  licentiate,  and  a  theological  pupil 
of  Jonathan  Dickinson,  was  called  (1748)  to  suc- 
ceed him.  For  ten  years  previous  to  the  reunion 
he  was  pastor  at  Orange,  and  doubtless  was  in  full 
sympathy  with  the  efforts  that  brought  it  about 


HISTORICAL  DISCOURSE.  95 

With  him  a  new  generation  of  ministers  appears 
upon  the  stage.  The  church  at  large  has  rapidly 
increased.  The  ministry  has  multiplied,  in  forty 
years,  nearly  four-fold,  and  the  churches  doubtless 
in  like  proportion.  The  missionary  spirit  of  the 
church  has  gone  forth  to  new,  larger,  and  more 
distant  fields.  McWhorter,  of  Newark,  has  tra- 
versed Virginia  and  the  Carolinas  on  preaching 
tours.  The  saintly  Brainerd,  at  the  forks  of  the 
Delaware,  has  illustrated  the  triumphant  power  of 
the  Gospel  over  savage  nature,  and  has  prayed, 
and  wept,  and  preached,  and  worn  out  his  feeble 
strength,  in  his  apostolic  work.  Scarcely  his  infe- 
rior in  devotion,  his  brother  'John,  stationed  for  a 
time  at  Newark,  has  traversed  the  New  Jersey 
Pines,  and  carried  the  Gospel  to  almost  every 
heathen  neighborhood.  Ere  long,  Spencer,  of 
Elizabethtown  and  Trenton,  with  a  mind  worthy 
of  a  statesman,  and  a  heart  large  enough  to  take  to 
its  sympathy  the  largest  plans  of  Christian  effort ; 
Beatty,  on  whose  shoulders  fell  the  mantle  of  the 
Patriarch  of  Neshaminy,  and  whose  pioneer  labors 
extended  to  the  far-off  banks  of  the  Ohio  ;  Dufheld, 
his  worthy  compeer,  resolute,  unflinching,  daring 


96  FIRST  CHURCH,  ORANGE. 

to  speak  the  boldest  words  which  a  Christian 
patriot  might  speak  ;  these,  and  many  more, 
worthy  to  be  associated  with  them,  appear  on  the 
scene,  gracing  the  missionary  annals  of  the  church 
with  records  of  which  their  honored  descendants 
may  well  be  proud.  Nor,  at  this  juncture,  should 
such  names  be  forgotten  as  those  of  John  Rodgers, 
the  friend  of  Whitefield,  transplanted  from  the 
Southern  field  to  New  York,  where  he  lived  to  lay 
his  hand  upon  the  head  of  one  (Dr.  Spring)  whose 
long  protracted  pastorate  links  the  generation  of  a 
century  ago  to  ours  ;  President  Davies,  the  Vir- 
ginian Apostle,  a  model  of  pulpit  eloquence,  com- 
manding the  admiration  of  lawyers  in  the  courts 
where  he  appeared  to  plead  the  rights  of  Virginia 
"  Dissenters,"  and  extorting  applause  from  the 
critical  hearers  of  the  old  world  where  he  urged 
the  claims  of  sacred  learning,  and  collected  the 
means  to  endow  Princeton  College  ;  the  Finleys, 
combining  scholarship  with  piety,  and  giving  point 
to  the  contrast  drawn  by  the  great  Dr.  Mason 
between  the  death-bed  of  the  believer  and  that  of 
the  skeptic  ;  Bostwick,  of  New  York,  challenging 
from  the  historian  Smith  a  tribute  to  his  eloquence; 


HISTORICAL  DISCOURSE.  97 

Francis  Alison,  the  most  thorough  scholar  of  the 
day,  whose  plea  for  reunion  in  1758,  recently 
republished,  is  inferior  in  force  of  argument  and 
fervor  of  eloquence  to  no  similar  production  of 
this  recent  period  ;  Samuel  Buell,  of  Easthamp- 
ton,  L.  I.,  a  friend  of  Edwards  and  Hopkins, 
whose  appeals  could  melt  a  listening  assembly  to 
tears,  and  whose  wit  could  disarm  even  Tory  inso- 
lence. And  even  with  such  a  list,  we  must  pass 
over  mauy  with  whom  the  second  pastor  of  this 
church  came  in  contact,  and  whose  features  and 
characters  were  photographed  upon  his  memory, 
and  treasured  in  his  heart. 

But  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-eight  he  was  called 
away  by  death ;  and  in  1768,  after  a  vacancy  of 
three  or  four  years,  he  was  succeeded  by  a  man 
whose  name  has  gone  forth  far  and  wide,  and 
whose  just  fame  is  limited  by  no  parish  bounds. 
This  man  was  Jedediah  Chapman,  doubtless  a 
pupil  of  Dr.  Bellamy,  and  one  who  was  destined 
in  another  sphere  to  lay  the  foundations  of  many 
generations. 

The  period  of  his  ministry  here,  extending  to 
the  opening  of  the  present  century,  is  eventful  in 


98  FIPiST    CHURCH,   OMAJSTQB. 

the  history  of  the  church  and  world  at  large.     It 
began  at  the  very  time  when  the  United  Conven- 
tion of  Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists  was 
formed  to  counteract  the  project  of  leading  Episco- 
palians to  impose  Bishops  on  the  Colonies,  with  or 
without   the   authority  of  Parliament.      It   closed 
when  the  plan  of  union  between  the  two  denomi- 
nations, that  was  intended  to  harmonize  them  on 
the  great  Mission  Field  at  the  West,  was  about  to 
take  effect.     It  began  almost  at  the  same  time  that 
the  Stamp  Act  produced  a  revolutionary  ferment 
throughout  the  land.     It  closed  when  the  thrones 
of  Europe  were  shaking  with  the  echoes  of  French 
cannons,  and  at  the  tramp  of  Napoleon's  legions. 
It  covered  the  period  of  our  revolutionary  struggle, 
and  of  the  terrible  revolution  of  France.     It  was 
characterized  by  national  convulsions,  the  inroads 
of  infidelity  and  error,  and  the  outbreak  of  the 
powerful  revivals  in  the  South  and  West. 

To  events  and  scenes  like  these,  the  pastor  of  this 
church  could  not  have  been  indifferent.  Doubtless 
many  a  time  the  attention  of  his  Sabbath  audience 
was  divided  between  his  words,  and  the  echo  of  the 
enemy's  cannon,  rolled  back  from  these  neighbor- 


HISTORICAL  DISCOURSE.  99 

ing  mountains.  Many  a  time,  doubtless,  the  con- 
gregation met  on  one  Sabbath,  uncertain  whether 
the  next  should  find  them  gathered  beneath  the 
sacred  roof,  or  scattered  as  fugitives  from  their 
desolate  or  plundered  homes.  The  proximity  of 
the  enemy  at  New  York  must  have  been  a  constant 
terror.  How  precious  must  have  been  the  truth 
which  in  such  times  pointed  them  to  God  as  their 
refuge  and  strength,  or  directed  their  trembling 
faith  to  the  Eock  of  Ages  !  Then  indeed  the 
sanctuary  was  precious  to  them.  Here  the  prayer 
of  burdened  souls,  trembling  at  once  for  the  liberty 
of  the  country  and  the  Ark  of  God,  went  up  to 
heaven.  Here  the  faithful  pastor,  loyal  to  God  and 
his  country,  inspired  hope  amid  the  thickening 
gloom,  by  the  words  of  the  divine  promise. 
Hunted  out  himself  by  special  malignity,  and 
forced  to  flee  for  his  life,  with  what  power  must 
his  accents  have  fallen  on  the  ears  of  those  who 
knew  his  danger,  and  under  the  sense  of  what 
impending  risks  he  spoke  ! 

But  another  class  of  events  soon  claimed  his 
attention.  The  Presbyterian  Church,  with  the 
close  of  the  war,  was  summoned  to  a  survey  of  the 


ioo  first  church,  orange. 

desolations  that  had  been  wrought,  and  called  not 
only  to  rebuild  the  old  wastes,  but  to  enter  upon 
new  fields.  Almost  contemporary  with  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Federal  Government,  the  General 
Assembly  was  constituted,  and  the  Presbyterian 
Church  was  equipped,  none  too  early,  for  a  work 
that  would  tax  all  its  energies.  Population  was 
rolling  its  vast  tide  westward.  The  nuclei  of 
churches  were  gathering  in  the  wilderness.  There 
was  need  of  experienced  and  judicious  men  to 
shape  the  social  elements  of  new  regions,  and  after 
a  ministry  longer  than  falls  to  the  lot  of  most  men, 
Mr.  Chapman  was  summoned  by  the  voice  of  the 
Church  to  remove  to  a  frontier  post  in  the  State  of 
New  York.  Here  for  twelve  years  the  patriarch 
toiled  on,  and  the  voice  that  had  been  heard  here 
amid  scenes  of  peace  and  scenes  of  conflict,  was  to 
speak  the  counsels  of  wisdom  to  the  young  min- 
istry that  gathered  around  him. 

The  pastor  who  succeeded  Mr.  Chapman  was  so 
intimately  associated  with  the  leading  ministers  of 
the  church,  and  important  events  connected  with 
it,  that  his  life  becomes  largely  a  part  of  its  history. 
He  studied  theology  under  Dr.  Buell,  the  friend  of 


mSTORICAL  Discounsi:.  101 

Edwards,  completing  his  course  under  Dr.  Living- 
ston, of  New  York,  the  first  theological  professor, 
and  one  of  tjie  Fathers  of  the  Reformed  (Dutch) 
Church.  His  attainments,  character  and  position, 
commanded  respect,  and  the  list  of  his  intimate 
friendships  would  bring  up  such  names  as  those  of 
Griffin  and  Richards,  Perrine  and  Armstrong,  and 
scores  of  others,  some  of  whom  linger  yet  among 
us,  venerable  in  usefulness  as  in  years.  But  Mr. 
Ilillyer  came  not  inexperienced  into  this  field.  He 
had  endured  hardness  as  a  pioneer  missionary. 
With  his  own  eyes  he  had  looked  upon  the  fields 
white  for  the  harvest.  He  had  traversed  the 
forests  of  Central  Tsew  York,  and  entered  fully 
into  the  missionary  spirit  of  the  era  that  opened 
with  the  century. 

What  a  change  was  he  spared  to  witness  !  The 
single  Synod  of  1786,  when  he  began  his  ministry 
at  Madison,  had  grown  to  a  General  Assembly  with 
many  Synods.  The  membership  of  the  church  had 
increased  from  perhaps  fifteen  or  twenty  thousand 
to  between  two  and  three  hundred  thousand. 
Within  ten  years  after  his  settlement  here,  Prince- 


102  rrnsr  CHURCH,  orange. 

ton  Seminary  was  established,  and  it  had  to  the  end 
no  firmer  friend  than  he.  A  few  years  later  Auburn 
was  founded.  And  how  his  heart  must  have 
glowed  to  hear  of  the  Union  Theological  Seminary 
in  Virginia,  Marysville  in  Tennessee,  Allegheny  at 
Pittsburg,  Lane  at  Cincinnati,  Union  at.  New  York 
— until  whole  States,  that  were  a  wilderness  when 
he  came  here,  had  become  the  strongholds  of  the 
Presbyterian  church. 

In  the  grand  movement  that  helped  all  this  for- 
ward he  took  a  leading  part,  and  he  had,  moreover, 
his  share  of  burden  and  trial.  It  might  seem  as  if 
the  rage  of  partisan  feeling  or  prejudice  might 
have  spared  one  as  inoffensive  and  gentle  as  Hill- 
yer,  but  amid  the  recriminations  of  that  period, 
when  the  imputation  of  sympathy  with  New  Eng- 
land theology  sufficed  in  some  quarters  to  condemn 
a  man,  even  Hillyer  was  marked  for  reprobation. 

It  is  instructive  now,  though  perhaps  not  very 
entertaining,  to  go  back  to  those  days  when  the 
now  venerable  Dr.  Spring  was  accounted  a  heretic, 
and  only  received  to  the  Presbytery  in  the  confi- 
dence   that,   if   gently   dealt  with,   he   would    be 


nrs toxical  nrscornzF.  103 

brought  to  entertain  sounder  views,  or  in  part  by 
the  bold  and  generous  declaration  of  Dr.  Miller, 
"  you  may  reject  that  young  man,  if  you  see  fit, 
but  in  condemning  him,  you  will  condemn  me  ;" 
to  those  days  when  the  Rev.  (Dr.)  Ely  published 
his  contrast  between  CalvinisnTand  Hopkinsianism, 
and  Dr.  McLeod  gave  evening  lectures  to  his 
people  to  fortify  them  against  the  terrible  heresy 
implied  in  the  latter;  to  those  days  when  the 
writer  of  the  "  Triangle,"  lighted  up  with  wit  and 
sprightliness  all  the  obscure  inconsistencies  that  he 
thought  he  could  detect  in  ultra  Calvinism,  and  the 
Young  Men's  Missionary  Society,  of  New  York, 
was  rent  in  twain  on  the  question  of  commissioning 
Rev.  (Dr.)  Cox,  whom  the  Presbytery  of  Philadel- 
phia had  counted  unsound  in  the  faith.  But  it  is 
instructive,  at  least,  now  that  the  stormy  partizan- 
ship  of  the  time  has  passed  by,  to  see  how  good 
men  misapprehended  one  another,  and  to  note  how 
on  both  sides  were  found  names  that  divide  about 
equally  our  respect. 

From   a   contemporary   publication,    (Historical 
Sketch  of  Opinions   on  the  Atonement,  1817,)  a 


104  FriiS T  CEURCH,    ORANGE. 

goodly  octavo  volume,  I  quote  as  follows  \  "Error 
spreads,  and  the  great  interests  of  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom  are  compromised.  Gentle  measures  have 
been  tried,  and  have  failed.  It  may  be  thought 
the  Theological  Seminary  will  correct  the  evil,  and 
no  doubt  it  will  counteract  the  operations  of  error- 
ists;  but  its  progress  will  be  slow  ;  and  it  is  even 
possible  the  Ilopkinsians  may  obtain  its  direction, 
for  an  unwise  policy,  called  peaceful,  has  already 
given  Mr.  Spring,  Dr.  Richards,  and  Mr.  Ilillyer  a 
seat  in  the  board." 

Such  was  the  published  estimate,  at  that  date,  of 
Dr.  Ilillyer,  and  yet  through  all  the  bitter  strifes  of 
twenty  years  later— with  the  exception  of  a  single 
year— he  retained  his  seat  in  the  Seminary  board. 
Sadly  must  he  have  felt  the  alienations  and  sus- 
picions of  the  period  of  the  division  of  the  Presby- 
terian church,  and  gladly  would  he  have  welcomed 
the  era  of  peace  and  union  that  has  dawned  at  last. 

But  with  all  the  clouds  that  gathered  over  and 
around  him,  lie  was  not  left  without  more  than  the 
consolations  of  a  peaceful  conscience,  lie  lived  to 
note  the  growth  and  extension  of  the  church  in  this 


HISTORICAL  DISCOURSE.  103 

and  in  other  lands.  He  saw  the  introduction  of 
Sabbath  Schools.  He  participated  in  the  formation 
of  Bible,  Missionary,  and  Tract  Societies,  the  glory 
of  the  age.  lie  was  rewarded  by  witnessing  revival 
after  revival,  which  gathered  harvests  of  souls  into 
the  church  over  which  he  watched  with  such  devo- 
tion and  fidelity. 

The  close  of  Dr.  Ilillyer's  ministry  brings  us 
down  to  a  period  within  the  memory  of  those  who 
yet  survive,  and  who  can  recall  his  farewell  words 
and  counsels  of  peace.  Of  his  immediate  succes- 
sors, White  and  Hoyt,  the  memory  of  many  of  you 
keeps  a  fuller  and  fresher  record  than  can  be  traced 
by  the  pen.  The  last-named  of  these  was  my  class- 
mate and  friend,  and  in  his  unassuming  manner, 
sound  sense,  thorough  scholarship,  and  devoted 
piety,  it  was  always  safe  to  confide.  I  might  pay  a 
warmer  tribute  to  his  worth,  if  I  was  at  liberty  to 
open  the  record  of  personal  afflictions  and  private 
sympathies. 

We  have  now  passed  hastily  through  the  succes- 
sive stories  of  the  historical  structure  with  which 
this  church  is  identified.     We  have  simply  caught 

7 


106  FIRST  CHURCH,  ORANGE. 

glimpses,  as  we  have  looked  forth  from  the  win- 
dows, of  the  scenes  on  which  the  generations  gazed 
that  have  passed  on  before  us.  Shall  we  not  now 
go  and  look  to  the  east  and  to  the  west,  to  the 
period  that  preceded  the  founding  of  the  church, 
and  to  that  future  that  expands  dimly  but  grandly 
over  our  horizon  ? 

Surely  one  cannot  walk  along  the  crest  of  these 
three  last  half  centuries,  without  pausing  at  either 
end,  and  regarding  the  contrast  which  a  view  from 
each  presents.  The  founders  of  this  church  stood 
in  immediate  proximity  to  scenes  and  events  of 
deepest  interest  in  Presbyterian  history.  Less  than 
a  half  century  before,  New  York  was  a  Dutch 
colony,  and  on  the  whole  Atlantic  slope,  Presbyte- 
rianism  had  scarcely  a  foothold  or  a  name.  Con- 
gregationalism— with  a  leaven  of  Presbyterianism, 
represented  by  such  names  as  Col  man  and  Stod- 
dard, and  the  father  of  the  elder  Edwards — was  the 
established  church  in  Massachusetts  and  Connecti- 
cut. Episcopalians  and  Quakers,  and  a  few  scat- 
tered Baptist  churches,  were  asking  for  a  measure 
of  toleration   that  would   exempt  them   from  the 


1ITXT0RICAL  DISCOUMS/:.  107 

society  or  town  tax  for  the  support  of  ministers  on 
whose  services  they  did  not  find  it  edifying  to 
attend.  By  a  stretch  of  usurpation,  Lord  Corn- 
bury,  vicing  with  the  bigotry  of  the  Stuarts,  had 
secured  in  New  York  the  state  establishment  of 
the  Episcopal  church.  He  had  thrown  into  a  ISTew 
York  prison — and  kept  him  there  for  weeks, 
releasing  him  only  on  the  payment  of  exorbitant 
costs — Francis  Makemie,  the  Father  of  the  Amer- 
ican Presbyterian  church  ;  and  he  had  done  this  for 
the  mere  crime — with  which  he  was  charged — of 
preaching  a  Presbyterian  sermon  in  a  private  house 
in  Pearl  street.  At  Jamaica,  L.  I.,  he  had  thrust 
out  the  Presbyterian  minister,  to  make  room  for 
an  Episcopal  incumbent,  with  no  better  right  than 
the  authority  of  bayonets.  Among  the  founders  of 
the  Orange  church  there  must  have  been  some  few, 
at  least,  on  whose  memories  outrages  like  these 
had  left  a  deep  and  still  vivid  impression,  and  who 
needed  not  to  go  to  the  Old  "World  to  find  how 
little  religious  liberty  was  understood  or  practiced 
by  men  in  power,  even  on  this  continent. 

But  almost  as  fresh,  too,  on  the  page  of  memory, 


108  FIRST  run:' 'IT,    ORANGE. 

were  traced  the  leading  facts  of  that  more  than 
romantic,  that  terribly  tragic  story  which  for  nearly 
two  consecutive  generations  had  constituted  the 
record  of  Presbyterianism  in  Scotland  and  Ireland. 
The  founders  of  this  church  may  well  have  con- 
versed with  those  who  shared  the  siege  of  Derry, 
or  listened  to  battle  songs  or  gospel  messages, 

"By  Cameron  thundered,  or  by  Renwick  poured 
In  sweetest  strain." 

It  can  scarcely  be,  that  in  their  childhood  some  of 
them  had  not  heard  the  story  of  bloody  Claver- 
house  and  his  dragoons;  or  of  Richard  Baxter 
arraigned,  to  be  insulted  by  the  monster  Jeffries 
for  deeds  of  Christian  service  for  which  we  honor 
him;  or  of  English  prisons  filled  with  men  like 
Joseph  Alleine,  or  John  Banyan,  of  whom  the 
world  was  not  worthy  ;  while  the  caustic  but  well- 
dissembled  irony  of  Defoe's  "Shortest  way  with 
the  Dissenters,"  and  the  unreasoning  bigotry  and 
excitement  that  characterized  the  period  of  the 
trial  of  Sachevernell,  and  the  national  convulsion 
that  resulted  from  the  attempt  to  restore  the  Stu- 


niSTOMCAL  DISCOUBSE.  109 

arts  to  the  English  throne,  were  things  of  yester- 
day. If  we  could  have  seated  ourselves  by  the 
fireside  of  the  more  intelligent  and  thoughtful  of 
the  men  who  first  stood  forth  here  to  profess  them- 
selves the  Lord's  freemen,  we  might  have  heard 
them  speaking  now  of  the  victories  of  the  great 
Marlborough,  and  now  of  the  Indian  wars  at  the 
ISTorth  and  the  South,  and  still  again  of  Presbyte- 
rian exiles  from  Ireland  seeking  a  refuge  on  these 
shores,  and  the  probabilities  that  attempts  would 
be  made  here  to  deprive  them  of  their  religious 
rights.  Perhaps  the  conversation  turns  on  Corn- 
bury's  iniquities,  and  the  vain  attempt  of  the  Pres- 
byterians of  New  York  city  to  secure  themselves 
a  charter  of  incorporation,  in  which  they  were 
opposed  and  defeated  by  Trinity  Church ;  and  per- 
haps they  expressed  no  idle  or  shallow  fear  that  the 
time  might  come  when  ecclesiastical  usurpation 
would  reach  its  long  arm  across  the  ocean,  and  lord 
it  over  the  consciences  of  men  who  had  hoped  to 
find  a  safe  asylum  here.  However  this  may  be, 
nearly  one  hundred  years  before  Connecticut  laws 
allowed  equal  liberty  to  all  sects,  and  more  than 


110  FIRST   CHURCH,   ORANGE. 

that,  before  Massachusetts  adopted  the  principle, 
these  fathers  of  the  Orange  church,  inheriting  the 
principle  for  which  the  Scottish  martyrs  before  all 
others  had  suffered  and  contended,  that  every 
church  has  a  right  to  choose  its  own  pastor,  and 
manage,  in  subordination  to  the  common  interests, 
its  own  affairs,  embodied  in  their  organization  and 
vindicated  in  their  practice  the  great  central  truth 
of  ecclesiastical  autonomy,  so  strangely  overlooked 
for  generations,  but  on  this  soil  never  to  be  lost 
sight  of  again. 

With  something  of  fear  and  trembling  they 
gathered  up  the  lessons  of  the  past.  The  clouds 
were  still  piled  up  on  the  eastern  sky,  which  spoke 
of  the  tempests  of  wrong  and  outrage  which  the 
preceding  generation  of  Englishmen  had  felt  in 
their  fall  severity.  "What  a  future  might  still  be 
before  them  they  could  not  tell,  but  they  had  abun- 
dant reason  to  be  jealous  of  their  rights,  and  guard 
with  vigilance  their  sacred  trust. 

But  where  do  we  stand  to-day,  and  what  is  the 
prospect  that  opens  before  us  ?  The  feeble  one 
has   become  a  host.     The  Presbyterian  church  in 


HISTORICAL  DISCOURSE.  m 

this  country,  divided  once  and  again,  is  at  length 
reunited.  Its  history  is  enriched  with  grandest 
names.  Turn  over  its  pages,  and  you  shall  meet 
there  the  portraits  of  Makemie,  Dickinson,  Burr, 
Edwards,  Davies,  Witherspoon,  Mason,  Griffin, 
Blackburn,  Alexander,  Miller,  Richards,  and 
scores  of  others,  the  very  mention  of  whom 
brings  up  before  us  all  that  is  venerable  in  char- 
acter, or  high  and  pure  in  purpose,  or  command- 
ing in  eloquence.  Where  there  was  a  feeble 
sapling  once,  swaying  with  every  blast,  there 
stands  now  a  broad  trunk,  with  its  roots  strong 
and  deep  in  our  own  American  soil,  but  with 
branches  spreading  out  their  sheltering  shade  over 
a  continent.  The  Presbyterian  church  in  this  land 
is,  in  respect  to  numbers,  intelligence,  moral  influ- 
ence, educational  institutions,  one  of  the  most  pow- 
erful organizations  in  the  land.  If  it  is  faithful  to 
its  trust,  faithful  to  the  pledge  given  over  and  over 
again  in  the  history  of  its  past  endeavors,  the  gen- 
erations that  follow  you  here  shall  witness  a  future 
for  it,  so  cheering,  so  sublime  in  achievement,  so 
extended  in  influence,  that  the  contrast  of  its  germ 


112  FIRST  CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

and  development  shall  make  romance  seem  tame, 
and  invite  upon  it  the  benedictions  of  angels  and 
men.  It  will  expand  its  field  of  effort  with  the 
country's  growth.  It  will  apply  its  energies  with  a 
self-denying  zeal.  In  all  the  centres  of  arts,  and 
and  commerce,  and  social  life,  it  will  be  found  at 
work,  originating  churches  and  institutions  that 
will  regenerate  society,  and  stand  as  witnessing 
monuments  of  God's  truth,  till  the  grand  work  of 
human  redemption  is  complete. 

With  such  a  prospect  the  actual  history  of  this 
church  links  that  day  of  small  things,  when  its 
fathers,  feeble  in  means  and  small  in  numbers,  laid 
here  the  foundations  of  many  generations.  Look 
to  the  past,  and  then  to  the  future,  and  you  will 
feel  that  you  stand  upon  a  Pisgah.  Close  by  you 
on  the  one  side  is  the  weariness  and  desolation  of 
the  desert;  on  the  other  is  Canaan  promise,  and 
the  near  and  ever  nearer  advent  of  that  Jerusalem 
which  is  from  above,  which  is  the  mother  of  us  all. 
We  breathe  the  purer  air  of  a  higher  life.  We 
look  down  upon  periods  of  strife  and  division,  and 
lament  our  errors.     We  look  upward  and  invoke 


HISTORICAL  DISCOUIiXK  113 

the  grace  that  will  perfect  our  union,  by  the  same 
influences  that  cement  and  secure  the  eternal  union 
of  the  blessed. 

It  is  well  that  we  may  meet  for  our  commemora- 
tive task  at  a  day  like  this.  It  lends  inspiration  to 
the  occasion.  Our  fathers  would  have  rejoiced  to 
see  this  day,  and  been  glad.  How  their  silent 
benedictions  seem  to  distil  upon  us,  as  in  our 
thanksgivings  we  recognize  the  grace  that  has 
triumphed  over  division,  and  made  the  reunited 
church  what  it  is  to-day !  If  those  who  have  toiled 
here,  and  borne  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day 
— who  have  been  associated  with  the  trials  and  the 
hopes  of  the  past — could  appear  among  us,  with 
what  radiant  spirits,  with  what  hearty  God-speeds, 
would  they  greet  us,  swelling  our  joys  while  they 
fulfilled  their  own ! 

They  are  not  with  us  in  person — however  their 
spirits  may  hover  near.  They  will  not  come  back 
to  us,  but  we  shall  go  to  them.  And  what  a  lesson 
to  inspire  us  to  high  endeavor,  that  we  may  recount 
what  their  feebleness  has  achieved,  and  may  say, 
as  we  do  to-day,  that  over  these  graves,  these  hal- 


114 


FIRST  CHURCH,    ORANGE. 


lowed  scenes  of  prayer  and  praise,  these  spheres  of 
toil  and  trial,  there  waves  the  banner  of  a  reunited 
church,  there  gather  associations  and  memories 
that  make  the  ground  we  tread  seem  holy,  there 
come  thronging  clouds  of  witnesses  whose  pres- 
ence in  thought  we  could  not  and  would  not 
banish. 


V. 

P  0  E 


anson  d.  f.  Randolph 


Remember  the  days  of   old; 

Consider  the  years  of    many  generations. 


Dedt.  32 :  7. 


POEM 


ICTURES  of  other  Periods  :  these  to-night 
I  bring  to  place  before  your  waiting  sight ; 
And  here  the  Present  shall  its  sunlight  cast 

Upon  the  lengthening  shadows  of  the  Past : 

Each  varied  hue,  and  interblending  part, 

Have  power  to  please,  and  elevate  the  heart ; 

And  all  combined  make  one  harmonious  whole, 

To  stir  the  pulses  of  the  grateful  soul. 


Behold  a  picture  of  the  days  of  eld, 

When  these  broad  lands  the  Fathers  first  beheld  ; 

And  by  the  waters  of  Communipaw 

The  Burgomaster  first  the  Yankee  saw, 

And  little  dreamed,  as  then  their  trade  began, 

That  he  was  dealing  with  the  Coming  Man, 

Whose  restless  feet  but  touched  New  England's  shore, 

And  thence  departed  to  return  no  more, 

But  ever  onward  with  resistless  sway, 

From  age  to  age  would  Westward  make  his  way  ; 


118  FIRST  CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

His  hand  the  waste  and  desert  soil  subdue, 

And  build  the  City  where  the  Forest  grew  ; 
The  Church  and  School  plant  firm  in  every  vale, 
Where  late  was  found  the  Indian's  fire  or  trail ; 
That  one  by  one  there  slowly  might  arise 
New  States,  as  stars,  to  bless  the  Nation's  eyes, — 
From  where  the  waters  of  the  Hudson  rolled, 
To  San  Francisco's  opening  Gate  of  Gold  ! 

Where  the  Passaic  like  a  silver  thread, 

Winds  through  the  marshy  meadows  to  the  Sound, 
Your  Fathers,  by  the  Great  All-Father  led, 

Planted  the  seeds,  whose  fruitage  here  is  found. 
Stern  in  their  will,  of  simple  faith  and  pure, 
They  for  His  cause  would  any  ill  endure  : 
His  was  the  World — dare  any  one  expect 
To  rule  the  State,  save  only  His  elect  ? 
Such  was  their  creed — a  life  and  not  a  name, 
And  here  to  found  tlieir  perfect  State  they  came : 
Who  would  might  come,  in  peace  securely  dwell. 
And  sow  and  reap,  or  freely  buy  and  sell 
Under  just  rule — so  did  tlieir  laws  denote — 
While  none  but  .Saints  should  have  the  right  to  vote ! 

Just  to  themselves,  to  others  they  were  true  ; 
The  Indian  at  their  hands  no  outrage  knew; 


poev.  118 

They  took  his  lands  and  paid  as  they  agreed, 

And  had  from  him  a  primal  title  deed 

For  these  fair  lands,  that  from  the  river  shore 

Break  at  the  mountain  ;  full  many  a  score 

Of  miles  of  wood  and  undulating  plain, 

And  valleys  low,  by  purchase  did  obtain, 

And  this  the  price  :  if  there  be  brokers  here, 

Who  put  our  house-rent  higher  every  year, 

Give  your  attention,  lend  me  now  your  ear, 

And  I  in  verse  the  price  will  here  relate, 

Of  this  great  sale  of  Orange  Ileal  Estate  ! 
Fifty  double  hands  of  powder,  and  one  hundred  bars  of  lead  ; 
Twenty  ankers  of  good  liquors,  or  equivalent  instead  ; 
Twenty  coats  and  twenty  pistols,  and  of  swords  and  kettles  ten ; 
Fifty  knives ;  ten  pair  of  breeches  for  the  most  distinguished 

men  ; 
Full  eight  hundred  feet  of  wampum,  and  four  barrels  of  good 

beer, 
And  three  troopers'  coats  : — I'm  sure  you  do  not  think  the  pur- 
chase dear ; 
But  rather  that  your  fathers  were  unwise, 
They  did  not  buy,  and  hold  it  for  a  rise  ! 

From  river's  marge  back  to  the  mountain's  foot, 
They  built  their  homes,  the  cottage  and  the  hut ; 
The  rich,  a  house  in  length  but  thirty  feet 


120  FIRST   CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

And  twenty  wide,  found  ample  and  complete; 
While  for  the  poor,  two  rooms,  or  three  at  best, 
Met  every  want,  if  God  became  the  -nest. 
No  broratelle  in  gilt  and  carved  wood. 

Made  of  the  home  a  most  essential  part ; 
No  mirror  on  a  sculptured  mantel  stood— 

The  uneven  walls  were  bare  of  works  of  art. 
The  whitened  floor,  and  simple  oaken  chair, 
The  dresser  and  the  shining  platters  there. 
The  chest  of  drawers,  with  common  oblong  chest, 
And  spinning  wheel  at  motion  or  at  rest, 
With  table  polished  by  the  scrubbing  broom,— 
These  were  the  features  of  the  living  room  ; 
In  next,  the  bed  where  wearied  ones  laid  down, 
To  sweeter  sleep  than  he  who  wears  a  crown ; 
While  near  the  shelf,  on  which  the  Bible  lay, 
God's  angel  stood  to  guard  them  night  and  day. 

They  little  knew  of  other  lands  and  men. 
Nor  sought  for  knowledge  deemed  beyond  their  ken 
They  saw  no  wicked  spirits  in  the  air. 
Nor  tracked  the  hated  Indian  to  his  lair; 
While  day  by  day  tiny  went  the  common  round 
Of  duly,  and  Cod's  blessing  sought  and  found. 
Beside  the  chinch  they  reared  the  public  school, 
And  ruling  self,  could  others  wisely  rule  ; 


POEM.  121 

The  good  protect  and  hold  the  bad  in  awe, 
Not  by  the  Civil  but  the  Higher  Law  ; 
Forsook  some  errors  of  their  earlier  days, 
And  walked  in  broader  and  more  liberal  ways ; 
The  rights  of  conscience  fully  did  accord, 
Nor  held  the  Church  as  greater  than  its  Lord  ; 
While  evermore  their  life  this  truth  displayed, 
That  God,  not  man,  is  first  to  be  obeyed ! 

Unlettered  men  !  whose  names  are  known  to  few. 
Ye  buildcd  broader  than  ye  thought  or  knew : 
"While  wary  Statesmen  and  ambitious  Kings 
Worked  out  their  problems,  aimed  at  meaner  things, 
Spread  to  the  world  each  wide  embracing  plan, 
Regardless  of  the  sacred  rights  of  man, 
Ye  in  the  forest,  all  to  them  unknown, 
Assumed  a  power  still  greater  than  the  throne  ; 
As  stone  by  stone,  with  none  to  make  afraid, 
Those  deep  foundations  were  securely  laid, 
On  which  your  children  at  a  later  date 
Should  rear  the  fabric  of  a  nobler  State  ! 

Full  fifty  years  each  Sabbath  day  had  seen, 
With  shining  faces  and  becoming  mien, 
The  settlers  here  to  Newark  take  their  way, 
There  in  God's  house  the  solemn  vow  to  pay. 
But  now  in  numbers  slowly  stronger  grown, 

8 


122  FIRST  CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

They  would  build  up  a  meeting  of  their  own. 
True  to  tlieir  Order,  firm  as  Plymouth  Rock, 
And  wholly  made  of  Congregational  stock ; 
For  oh,  most  sad  to  think  and  sad  to  say, 
The  Newark  Church  had  gone  another  way  ; 
While  loving  Cambridge,  honoring  Saybrook  too, 
It  long  had  sought  this  special  work  to  do — 
T'  absorb  "Westminster,  with  those  lights  full  orbed- 
But  in  th'  attempt  had  been  itself  absorbed  ! 

'T  was  but  the  law  ;  such  effort  could  but  fail, 
The  right  must  ever  in  the  end  prevail ! 
That  which  succeeds  within  a  narrow  bound, 
In  wider  circles  oft  is  wanting  found. 
This  Order  on  New  England's  sterile  soil, 
Bears  goodly  fruit,  repays  the  patient  toil ; 
The  tree  transplanted  into  broader  fields, 
Grows  sickly,  and  but  little  fruitage  yields, 
Till  grafted  on  the  Presbyterian  tree, 
(As  has  been  shown  in  many  a  learned  D.  D.,) 
It  has  a  life  that  winter  cannot  kill, 
While  summer  heat  new  juices  doth  distill  : 
And  if  it  will  not  thus  consent  to  grow, — 
But  I  forbear:  the  Mountain  church  you  know 
Tried  it  full  long— but  failed  to  make  it  go. 
If  there  be  friends  of  this  old  Order  here. 


POEM.  123 

I  trust  their  duty  has  been  made  so  clear 
That  here  and  now  their  grafting  may  begin, 
While  we  are  waiting  to  receive  them  in ! 

Look  now,  my  friends,  behold  with  thankful  eyes, 
The  Mountain  Temple  of  the  Lord  arise ! 

No  skillful  Architect  had  drawn  his  plan — 

No  estimates  had  skillful  builders  made : 

>  » 

No  keen  trustees  been  set  the  work  to  scan, 

Or  borrow  money  in  the  Marts  of  Trade  ; 
The  ladies  had  not  even  held  a  fair 
To  buy  the  carpets  and  the  pulpit  chair, 
Or  named  committee,  say  of  three  or  five, 
To  fan  their  funds  and  keep  the  flame  alive 
When  men  refused  to  give,  and  that  outright, 
As  trade  was  dull  and  money  very  tight : 
But  rare  Old  Pierson,  type  of  those  who  wrought 
The  work  of  God,  because  they  knew  they  ought, 
Nor  stopped  to  parley,  wasting  half  their  day 
In  frequent  asking  if  the  work  would  pay  ; — 
He  and  his  friends  on  holy  purpose  bent, 
Their  little  skill  and  cheerful  labor  spent. 
The  axe  and  wedge  apart  the  timber  tore, 

The  noisy  saw  divided  it  again ; 
The  augur  made  its  round  and  perfect  bore, 

While  swiftly  moved  the  ready  smoothing  plane, 


124  FIRST  CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

Till  all  was  done,  and  God  by  them  was  praised, 
In  those  rude  walls  they  by  His  help  had  raised. 

Would  that  I  had  the  pencil  and  the  skill, 

The  Opening  Service  fitly  to  portray ; 
How  would  your  eyes  with  tears  of  gladness  fill, 

Your  hearts  leap  up  as  theirs  to  sing  and  pray. 
The  gray  haired  sire,  the  bronzed  and  stalwart  son, 
The  stooping  mother  and  the  bashful  maid, 
With  little  children,  quiet  now  and  staid, 
Had  in  their  places  gathered,  one  by  one. 
No  organ  peal  disturbed  the  solemn  air, 
No  anthem  ushered  in  the  opening  prayer ; 
First  on  the  ear,  stretched  to  its  true  intent, 
Broke  th'  full  voice  of  him  whom  God  had  sent : 
They  at  its  summons  rose  with  reverent  mien, 

The  head  bowed  low,  the  heart  too  full  for  speech, 
While  on  the  wrinkled  face  there  might  be  seen 

A  look  that  compassed  heaven  in  its  reach, 
As  from  the  preacher's  lips  there  outward  went 
Words  that  on  wings  of  praise  were  heavenward  sent, 
And  when  he  ended  with  his  full  Amen  ! 
From  trembling  lips  it  faintly  rose  again. 

The  time  would  fail,  were  I  to  linger  line. 

And  in  detail  portray  each  passing  year; 

How  from  the  East,  sound  in  the  faith,  to  claim 


POEM.  125 

Their  loving  homage,  Daniel  Taylor  came — 

For  thirty  years  these  paths  of  duty  trod, 

Fearless  of  man,  but  in  the  fear  of  God  : 

As  poor  man's  friend,  and  to  th'  oppressed  a  shield, 

To  might,  as  wrong,  was  never  known  to  yield, 

While  he  with  zeal  made  known  the  Gospel  plan, 

And  all  the  "  wondrous  ways  of  God  to  man." 

When  from  the  East  far  to  the  South  and  West, 

The  restless  foot  of  Whitefield  onward  pressed, 

Then  when  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  came  down 

The  labors  of  the  toiling  ones  to  crown, 

Here  in  the  Mountain  were  His  wonders  shown, 

In  quickening  saints,  in  turning  hearts  of  stone, 

And  Taylor  saw  the  glory  of  the  Lord, 

And  years  of  waiting  brought  the  large  reward. 

In  patient  service  thus  he  kept  the  Faith ; 

The  good  fight  fought :  triumphant  was  in  death  ; 

And  this  his  praise :  When  with  the  dead  he  slept, 

His  memory  green  was  by  his  people  kept. 

I  ask  you  now  to  look  again,  and  see 
What  was,  what  is  not,  what  again  should  be ; 
The  Parsonage,  early  reared  by  willing  hands, 
With  ample  marge  of  wood  and  meadow  lands  ; 
Whereto  in  time  a  youthful  pastor*  came, 

*  Rev.  Caleb  Smith. 


126  FIRST   CHURCH,  ORANGE. 

With  her  whose  fatherf  bore  an  honored  name, 
Whose  praise  in  all  the  churches  could  be  found, 
Whose  zeal  for  God  no  limit  knew  or  bound, 
Whose  weighty  words  and  cogent  argument 
With  vital  force  straight  to  the  conscience  went, 
While  clear  in  doctrine,  ever  apt  to  teach, 
With  sweetest  grace  could  simplest  Gospel  preach. 

Trained  in  such  school,  by  such  a  master  taught, 
The  second  pastor  learned  to  shape  his  thought, 
And  hither  came,  in  all  the  grace  of  youth, 
Its  ardent  zeal,  and  glowing  love  of  truth. 

About  that  Parsonage  of  those  days  long  gone, 

What  memories  cluster,  and  what  scenes  are  drawn  ! 

What  else  we  see,  where'er  our  steps  may  roam, 

We  find  no  simpler,  see  no  happier  home. 

Could  those  long  fallen  walls  articulate, 

And  all  their  prisoned  secrets  here  relate, 

Or  on  the  canvas,  with  the  pencil  throw 

The  scenes  they  witnessed  in  the  years  ago; — 

Of  grief  or  joy,  of  love  or  hope  deferred, 

All  then  withheld,  all  that  was  there  conferred, — 

The  secrets  told,  the  errors  full  confessed, 

With  trembling  lips,  or  sobbings  unsuppressed, — 

t  Rev.  Jonathan  Dickinson,  of  Elizabethtown. 


POEM.  127 

Your  hearts  would  alternate  'twixt  hopes  and  fears, 
One  moment  sanguine,  and  the  next  depressed, 
And  laughter  come  unbidden  on  your  tears  ! 
Yet  there  the  round  that  every  morning  brought 
The  press  of  care,  some  useful  lesson  taught ; 
And  there  the  Pastor  wisdom  daily  learned, 
Which  to  account  he  in  the  pulpit  turned  ; 
While  in  his  own  he  would  his  people  show 
A  Christian  Home,  the  sweetest  spot  below, 
Not  free  from  ill,  that  is  the  common  lot, — 
How  could  he  serve  if  here  he  had  it  not  ? — 
Where  every  joy  might  have  a  keener  zest, 

No  state  that  did  not  bring  with  it  content, 
Since  all  that  came  was  timely,  for  the  best, 

And  by  the  loving  Lord  in  mercy  sent. 

I  pass  the  scenes  wherein  you  might  behold 

The  new  and  larger  church  supplant  the  old  : — 

Look  on  the  people  fasting,  and  at  prayer 

That  God  would  come  their  well-beloved  to  spare, — 

Then  turn  once  more,  where  slow  the  funeral  train 

Winds  to  the  grave,  and  leaves  the  dead  again. 

The  Pastor's  work  was  done :  he  had  possessed 

The  promised  land,  and  entered  into  rest. 

Ah  !  well  they  loved  him  :  precious  memories  kept, 

Though  side  by  side  he  now  with  Taylor  slept ; 


128  FIRST  CHURCH,   ORAXCE. 

And  here  to-day  your  love  with  theirs  is  shown, 
In  fitting  words,  and  monumental  stone ! 

The  Mountain  Church  was  wise  to  understand 

No  field's  well  ploughed  without  a  guiding  hand,- 

And  so  with  decent  haste  set  out  to  find 

One  true  in  furrow,  and  of  ready  mind 

To  do  the  work :  and,  strange  though  it  may  sound, 

They  thought  he  in  New  England  must  be  found. 

There  straight,  with  letters  to  the  Fathers,  went 

A  brother,  on  this  purpose  fully  bent. 

Not  type  of  some  who  in  this  later  day 

Hunt  for  a  Pastor,  knowing  not  the  way  : 

Their  trials  sore,  and  disappointments  keen, 

You  have,  my  friends,  too  often,  often  seen. 

No  easy  task,  in  these  swift  days  of  ours, 

To  find  a  man  possessed  of  all  the  powers, — 

The  power  to  preach,  with  ampler  powers  to  talk. 

Of  pleasing  manners  and  a  graceful  walk ; 

At  funerals  good,  at  parties  full  of  life, 

With  just  the  woman  for  a  pastor's  wife; 

Who  sage  advice  from  no  one  will  refuse, 

And  raise  the  funds  by  filling  up  the  pews. 

Not  such  as  this  your  fathers  went  to  seek. 
But  one  in  doctrine  sound,  in  spirit  meek : 
They  hated  error,  and  no  honeyed  speech 


POEM.  1 20 

Would  answer,  if  he  failed  the  truth  to  preach. 
Yet,  to  be  honest,  I  should  here  relate 
He  must  speak  well,  and  they  were  free  to  state 
That  they  New  England's  drawling  tone  did  hate. 
At  length  in  Chapman  what  they  sought  was  found, 
A  Pastor  good,  a  preacher  wise  and  sound. 
He  came  when  ominous  signs  along  the  sky 
Foretold  those  days  that  noble  souls  would  try  ; 
He  heard  the  voice  that  'cross  the  ocean  went — 
"  You  shall  not  tax  if  none  may  represent !" 
He  read  in  mystic  lines  on  chest  of  tea 
The  Captions  of  the  Charter  of  the  Free, 
And  saw  the  flash,  and  heard  the  signal  gun, 
That  shook  the  world  on  plain  of  Lexington. 

Through  those  and  all  the  years  of  noise  and  strife 

He  did  his  work,  nor  counted  dear  his  life ; 

In  Church  and  State,  was  true  to  God  and  man, 

Wise  in  his  work,  and  honest  in  his  plan  : 

He  saw  the  War  with  all  its  tumults  cease, 

The  many  States  slow  rounding  into  One, 
While  on  the  Church,  God  sent  with  days  of  peace, 

That  power  by  which  alone  His  work  is  done. 
I  may  not  on  long  years  of  service  dwell, 
Or  speak  of  all  so  wisely  done  and  well : 
Enough  that  from  your  church  another  came, 


130  FIRST  CrrCRCTT,    ORANGE. 

Whose  altar-fire,  though  separate,  was  the  same; 
And  he  in  public  measures  foremost  still. 
Cheerful  of  heart,  and  Bovereign  in  hu  will ; 
Though  strong  in  speech,  was  careful  how  he  wrought, 
And  ever  practiced  what  he  clearly  taught  ! 

A  single  fact,  a  word  of  comfort  here 
For  those  who  cause  of  Woman's  Rights  hold  dear, — 
Who'd  lift  the  Angel  woman  to  each  place 
That  Man  now  holds,  that  demon  of  the  race  ! 
When  a  good  deacon  of  this  church  resigned 
His  Treasurership,  this  record  do  we  find: 
That  to  his  daughter  Esther,  then  a  maid 
•  The  sum  of  twenty  shillings  should  be  paid: 
And  facts  there  were  which  made  this  duty  clear, — 
She  had    he  Treasurer  been  for  many  a  year ! 
The  old,  old  law,  of  Christian  and  of  Turk, 
Man  has  the  honors,  woman  does  tjie  work  ! 

One  other  picture,  and  1  leave  you  then 
To  memories  that  are  fresh  in  living  men. 

Awhile  had  Q-BXFFTjr,  he  of  silvery  tongue 
And  heart  of  fire,  served  his  Master  here  ;  — 

What  pathos  on  those  lips  there  often  hung  I 
What  piercing  notes  to  stir  the  soul  with  fear  ! 

Then  Hillyer  came,  with  ample  gifts  and  rare. 


POEM.  131 

Your  fathers'  work  and  generous  love  to  share. 

Abundant  labors,  in  unnumbered  ways, 

Attest  his  virtues  and  prolong  his  praise; 

Alike  the  rich,  the  needy  or  oppressed, 

Held  him  as  friend,  or  welcomed  him  as  guest ; 

No  noble  cause  to  which  he  did  not  lend 

The  skill  to  do  what  faith  could  comprehend. 

These  solid  walls,  this  temple  of  the  Lord, 

His  steadfast  faith  and  patient  toil  record ; 

But  dearer  for  those  monuments  of  grace 

I  in  the  fathers  and  their  children  trace ; 

Who  now  as  then  still  rise  to  call  him  blessed, 

Who  with  them  wrought  till  here  they  Christ  confessed. 

I  see  him  now,  as  down  yon  aisle  he  came, 
Up  to  the  feast  spread  in  his  Master's  name  : 
Those  emblems  mute  of  body  and  of  blood, 
How  glad  his  heart  as  then  and  there  he  stood ; 
The  earth  afar,  the  hour  so  near  at  hand, 
When  he  beside  his  risen  Lord  should  stand  ! 
With  feeble  lips,  and  sweetest  whispering  word, 
The  secret  pulses  of  the  people  stirred ; 
Awhile  with  trembling  hands  the  bread  he  brake, 
And  bade  them  eat  it  for  the  Master's  sake  : 
And  then,  e'en  while  they  wept,  the  cup  he  poured, 
And  gave  his  final  message  of  the  Lord. 


132  FIRST  CHURCH,   ORANGE. 

Twab  his  last  service,  fitting  and  complete, 
A  hallowed  scene,  a  memory  rare  and  sweet. 

As  one  who  through  a  crowded  gallery  strays 

"Where  Art  its  master-pieces  well  display-. 

Observes  each  one,  in  each  finds  some  delight, 

Yet  holds  them  all  within  his  wondering  sight, 

Nor  knows  which  most  he  loves,  or  which  is  best, 

What  school  is  rarer,  or  is  best  expressed, 

Still  finds  in  all  a  joy  to  carry  thence, 

A  loftier  thought,  a  clearer,  deeper  sense, — 

So  I,  my  friends,  amid  the  Fathers  here, 

Speak  of  the  few,  but  all  alike  revere ; 

No  wondrous  name  nor  single  life  display, 

But  equal  honor  unto  all  would  pay. 

Each  did  his  work,  each  in  his  place  has  shown 

That  which  was  worthy,  and  which  should  be  known. 

Let  us  to-night  these  many  names  enshrine : 

Their  deeds  heroic,  and  their  Faith  sublime  ! 


VI. 


WITH 

RECOLLECTIONS   OF   HIS   PASTORATE, 

STEPHEN  ^VICKES,   M.   D., 

Member  of  Session. 


HEN  ^k\ 


"  He  that  goeth  forth  and  weepeth,  bearing  precious 
seed,  shall  doubtless  come  again  with  rejoicing,  bringing 
his  sheaves  with  him." 

P3A.LM  cxxvi :    6. 


DISCOURSE. 


n»R 

HE  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Wm.  C.  White, 
the  fifth  pastor  of  this  church,  termi- 
nated by  his  resignation  of  his  charge  in 
April,  1855.  During  the  most  of  the  period  of  his 
honored  and  useful  ministry,  Orange,  which  then 
embraced  within  its  limits  all  the  present  Oranges, 
and  extended  over  the  mountain  to  the  town  of 
Livingston  on  the  west,  contained  a  somewhat 
sparse  and  rural  population.  About  the  time  of 
his  settlement,  the  historian  describes  the  place 
as  a  straggling  village  and  post-town,  extending 
about  three  miles  along  the  turnpike  from  New- 
ark toward  Dover,  containing  two  Presbyterian 
churches,  one  Episcopal,  and  one  Methodist ;  two 
taverns,  ten  stores  ;  two  saw  mills  and  a  bark  mill ; 
and  about  two  hundred  to  two  hundred  and  thirty 
dwellings  ;  a  large  trade  being  carried  on  in  the 


136  FritS T  CHURCH,  ORANGE. 

manufacture  of  leather,  shoes  and  hats.  The 
population  of  the  township,  four  years  before  his 
settlement,  was  rated  by  the  census  at  3,887.  The 
opening  of  the  Morris  &  Essex  Railroad  in  the  year 
1836,  first  run  from  Orange  to  Newark  by  horse 
power;  and  in  less  than  a  year  thereafter  by  steam, 
through  from  Madison  to  Newark,  connecting  at 
that  place  with  the  New  Jersey  Railroad  to  New 
York,  stimulated  a  new  and  hitherto  unknown 
source  of  local  growth.  The  facilities  of  inter- 
communication increased  trade  and  manufactures, 
and  began  to  invite  new  residents  within  its  limits. 
These  changes,  at  first  slow  in  their  influence,  had 
begun,  at  the  time  of  Mr.  White's  resignation,  to 
exert  a  marked  change  in  the  character  of  the 
population  of  the  town.  The  rapid  increase  of  the 
metropolis  in  commercial  growth,  and  the  appro- 
priation of  all  the  lower  parts  of  the  city  to  business 
purposes,  rendered  necessary  the  removal  of  the 
merchants'  homes  to  the  upper  parts  of  the  city,  or 
to  those  towns  contiguous  which  afforded  conven- 
ient modes  of  transit.  The  business  hours  of  the 
great  city  had  begun  to  be  regulated  by  the  time 
tables  of  railroad  and  steamboat  lines.    The  natural 


DISCOURSE.  137 

beauty  of  the  Orange  landscape,  its  hill  and  dale, 
its  mountain  slope,  its  elevation  above  tide  water, 
and  the  perfection  of  its  natural  drainage,  all  com- 
bined to  offer  unusual  attractions  to  those  in  search 
of  a  rural  home.  The  quiet  of  the  region,  and  the 
absence  too  of  those  influences  which  invite  the 
sporting  class,  secured,  to  a  marked  degree,  an 
increase  of  residents  distinguished  for  their  love  of 
hicrh  moral  and  Christian  influences.  This  infu- 
sion  of  a  new  and  vigorously  active  Christian 
element  exerted  a  marked  effect  upon  all  the 
Christian  congregations  of  the  town,  and  upon 
none  more  so  than  upon  our  own. 

It  will  thus  be  readily  seen  that  when  the  suc- 
cessor of  the  faithful  White  entered  upon  his  labors 
in  Orange,  the  church  was  in  a  transition  state. 
The  impulse  and  vigor  of  city  life  was  being 
brought  in  contact  and  commingling  with  the 
slower  and  perhaps  more  substantial  habits,  nur- 
tured under  the  more  quiet  influences  of  rural 
occupations.  Each  element,  the  old  and  the  new, 
had  much  to  learn  from  the  other,  and  the  lessons 
of  the  period  were  cordially  accepted  by  a  church 
ever  united  and  harmoniously  striving  to  promote 


138  FIRST   CIIURCII,  ORANGE. 

its  highest  interests,  for  the  honor  of  the  Divine 
Master. 

The  Rev.  James  Hoyt  was  installed  the  sixth 
pastor  of  this  church  on  the  14th  of  February, 
1856.  lie  was  the  son  of  Jas.  Taylor  and  Re- 
becca Hoyt,  and  was  born  in  Greenfield,  Saratoga 
County,  New  York,  on  the  7th  of  October,  1817, 
being  the  youngest  son  of  a  family  of  eight  child- 
ren. His  father,  during  the  earlier  years  of  his 
married  life,  was  not  a  professor  of  religion.  He 
was  brought  to  repentance,  and  to  the  exercise  of 
faith  in  Christ,  by  the  sudden  death  of  his  eldest 
son  by  drowning.  This  afflictive  providence  gave 
to  the  godly  mother  a  pious  husband,  and  to  the 
children  a  pious  father.  The  change  in  his  charac- 
ter was  at  once  manifest.  Before  his  conversion 
he  had  little  sympathy  with  the  religious  senti- 
ments of  his  wife,  being  inclined  to  adopt  the  doc- 
trines of  Universalism.  He  once  said  to  his  son, 
that  whatever  change  of  views  he  might  expe- 
rience in  regard  to  religion,  he  knew  that  he  should 
never  become  a  Presbyterian.  He  knew  not  him- 
self, nor  the  power  of  Divine  grace.  Upon  his 
conversion,  he  became  very  decided  in  his  Calvin- 


DISCOURSE.  130 

istic  views  ;  united  with  the  Presbyterian  church 
in  Galway,  New  York,  and  became,  at  once,  an 
earnest  and  active  church  member  ;  often  riding 
from  seven  to  nine  miles  to  attend  the  evening 
prayer  meeting.  He  was  soon  elected  a  ruling 
elder,  and  exercised  the  functions  of  his  office  till 
laid  aside  by  disease.  lie  was  characterized  by 
great  firmness  of  moral  principle,  great  argument- 
ative powers,  and  a  most  retentive  memory.  The 
godly  parents  lived  to  see  their  seven  surviving 
children  hopefully  pious,  and  pleasantly  settled  in 
life.  James,  the  subject  of  this  notice,  exhibited, 
when  very  young,  a  peculiar  aptitude  for  learning. 
When  he  was  five  years  old,  his  father  brought 
home,  among  other  books,  a  copy  of  Bunyan's 
Pilgrim's  Progress,  which  was  given  to  him. 
Pleased  with  his  new  book,  he  devoted  himself  to 
its  study.  The  minister  soon  after  visiting  the 
family,  in  noticing  the  youngest  boy,  said  to  him, 
"  I  suppose  that  you  will  soon  be  old  enough  to 
read."  "  I  can  read  already,"  he  replied,  and 
gave  evidence  of  his  ability  by  the  ease  and  cor- 
rectness with  which  he  read  the  book.  As  a  child 
he  was  always  frank,  unassuming  and  kind.     His 


140  FIRST   CHURCH,   ORANGE. 

brother  says  of  him,  "  I  know  not  that  he  ever 
quarreled  in  the  least,  with  one  of  his  playmates, 
and  had  he  in  early  life  professed  piety,  no  one 
could  have  charged  him  with  impropriety  of 
deportment  as  a  Christian."  Once  when  sus- 
pected by  another  with  an  attempt  to  deceive,  a 
companion  came  boldly  to  his  defence,  exclaim- 
ing, "  boys,  you  know  that  James  Iloyt  never  told  a 
lie."  His  fondness  for  books,  and  the  ease  and 
rapidity  with  which  he  learned,  induced  his  father 
to  favor  him  in  the  acquirement  of  a  liberal  educa- 
tion. When  he  commenced  Murray's  English 
Grammar,  he  committed  it  to  memory  with  so 
much  rapidity,  that  his  teacher  concluded  that  he 
was  one  of  those  who  learned  rapidly,  and  forgot 
so  soon  as  learned  ;  and  with  this  view,  when  he 
had  completed  the  book,  she  turned  to  the  com- 
mencement, and  asked  him,  "  What  is  English 
Grammar  ?"  he  answered  immediately,  and  con- 
tinued reciting  until  she  handed  him  the  book, 
saying  that  she  had  not  time  to  hear  him  recite  the 
whole.  In  the  Sabbath  School  he  was  accustomed 
to  recite  from  one  hundred  to  two  hundred  verses 
of  Scripture  at  one  lesson.     While  he  was  pastor 


DISCOURSE.  141 

in  Orange,  he  once  remarked  to  a  friend  that  the 
large  amount  of  Scripture  which  he  had  committed 
to  memory  when  a  boy,  was  of  great  value  to  him 
in  the  preparation  of  his  sermons.  lie  had  also  a 
good  voice  and  ear  for  music,  taking,  while  very 
young,  the  lead  of  the  singing  in  public  worship. 

In  the  summer  of  1835  he  left  home,  to  enter 
upon  a  course  of  study  preparatory  to  entering  col- 
lege. While  at  the  academy  in  Fairfield,  Xew 
York,  he  made  a  public  profession  of  religion. 
He  stated  at  the  time,  that  he  had  experienced  no 
sudden  change  of  feeling  or  sentiment,  but  that  he 
believed  that  he  was  a  Christian,  and  as  such,  he 
felt  it  to  be  his  duty  to  take  a  more  public  stand 
for  Christ,  "  and,"  said  he,  "  henceforth  I  shall 
do  so." 

lie  entered  the  senior  class  in  Union  College  in 
1839.  As  a  college  student,  he  was  especially  fond 
of  the  languages,  a  knowledge  of  which  he  acquired 
with  great  facility ;  and  yet  his  knowledge  of  the 
mathematics  was  such,  that  his  professor,  at  the 
close  of  a  recitation,  once  asked  him  if  the  mathe- 
matics had  not  always  been  his  favorite  study,  to 
which  he  gave  a  negative  reply. 


142  FIRST   CHURCH,   ORANGE. 

Upon  his  graduation  at  college,  he  immediately 
entered  the  Union  Theological  Seminary,  at  which 
he  graduated  in  1844,  and  was  licensed  to  preach 
by  the  Third  Presbytery  of  New  York.  Just  after 
he  was  licensed,  a  friend  says,  "I  remember  with 
what  a  solemn  expression  he  stated  his  feelings, 
when  he  entered  the  sacred  desk  to  preach  his  first 
sermon  ;  said  he,  '  now,  then,  we  are  ambassadors 
for  Christ.'  A  classmate  remarked  to  me  after- 
wards what  a  deep  impression  that  sentiment,  as 
spoken  by  him,  had  made  upon  his  mind." 

Soon  after  his  licensure,  he  was  invited  to  supply 
the  pulpit  of  the  church  in  Harlem.  While  there 
he  was  visited  by  a  committee  from  a  church  in 
Stanwich,  Connecticut,  inviting  him  to  visit  them 
and  become  their  pastor,  if  it  should  prove  to  be 
mutually  desirable.  He  was  thereupon  presented 
with  a  call  from  the  church  in  Harlem,  which  he 
did  not  feel  at  liberty  to  accept.  He  went  to  Stan- 
wich, and  labored  wTith  such  acceptance  as  to  Becnre 
the  warm  affection  of  the  church  and  congregation. 
While  at  Stanwich  his  lungs,  which  had  become 
somewhat  diseased  daring  his  course  of  prepara- 
tory study,  became  so  seriously  affected  that  a  resi- 


DISCOURSE.  143 

dence  at  the  South  was  recommended  by  his  medi- 
cal adviser. 

After  visiting  many  of  the  principal  cities  of  the 
Southern  States,  he  was  called  to  the  First  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Tuskegee,  Alabama.  lie  was 
ordained  as  its  pastor  in  1846.  The  church  being 
new  and  somewhat  weak,  he  devoted  himself,  with 
no  ordinary  success,  to  the  promotion  of  its  growth. 
While  at  Tuskegee  he  was  married  to  Miss  Frances 
L.  Pratt,  daughter  of  Dr.  Linus  H.  Pratt,  of  New 
York.  After  a  ministry  of  three  years  at  this  place, 
he  resigned  his  charge.  The  reasons  moving  him 
thereto  were  partly  pecuniary  and  partly  those  of 
health,  and  with  the  conviction  that  his  usefulness 
might  be  greater  in  some  other  field  of  labor. 

He  had  always  taken  a  deep  interest  in  the 
education  of  the  young,  had  been  an  early  friend 
of  common  schools,  and  had  done  much  for  their 
improvement,  He  had  always  been  a  successful 
teacher,  and  hoping  that  his  health  might  be 
benefitted  by  the  change,  he  accepted  a  position 
as  principal  of  a  large  Female  Institute  under 
the  care   of  Presbytery,   at   Talladega,   Alabama. 


144  FIRST   CHURCH,   ORANGE. 

Here  his  characteristic  diligence  and  devotion  to 
his  work  were  shown,  employing  his  time,  in 
the  school  and  out  of  it,  for  the  good  of  his 
pupils.  The  moral  and  religious  influence  which 
he  exerted  over  this  institution  was  of  a  marked 
character.  One  of  the  trustees  remarked  that  in 
Mr.  Hoyt  were  emhodied  all  the  essentials  of  a 
successful  teacher.  During  his  connection  with 
the  Institute,  he  delivered  a  course  of  chemical 
lectures  with  experiments,  also  several  lectures  on 
education.  One  on  "Religion  in  Schools,"  was 
published  by  the  trustees. 

In  1853  he  returned  to  the  North,  with  his  wife 
and  child.  The  sigus  of  the  approaching  conflict 
were,  even  then,  beginning  to  make  his  position 
uncomfortable,  and  his  restored  health  led  him  to 
desire  once  more  to  engage  in  the  work  of  the 
ministry.  The  first  winter  after  his  return  was 
spent  in  New  York.  He  then  supplied  the  pulpit 
of  the  church  in  Stamford,  Connecticut,  and  the 
following  winter  declined  a  call  to  become  its 
pastor,  aud  accepted  an  invitation  to  the  First  Con- 
gregational Church  in  New  London,  Connecticut, 


DISCOURSE.  145 

as  a  colleague  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  McIrwin.  After  an 
engagement  of  about  nine  months,  he  received  a 
call  from  that  church,  but  did  not  consider  it  suffi- 
ciently unanimous  to  warrant  his  acceptance.  lie 
soon  after  received  a  unanimous  call  from  this 
church,  and  entered  at  once  upon  his  ministry 
with  this  people.  His  diary,  which  records  this 
new  relation,  has  the  following  minute:  "I  am 
thus  the  second  time  a  pastor — the  shepherd  of  a 
numerous  flock.  Oh  that  I  might  ever  feel  the 
responsibilities  which  such  a  charge  imposes,  and 
so  be  led  to  the  unfailing  source  of  strength  and 
wisdom.  That  I  may  suitably  feed  the  flock,  and 
lead  them  to  the  heavenly  pastures,  is  my  heart's 
desire  and  prayer  to  God." 

His  entrance  upon  his  ministerial  work  in  Orange 
was  marked  by  circumstances  of  peculiar  and 
solemn  interest.  Only  four  days  before  his  instal- 
lation, he  had  seen  this  House  of  God  hung  with 
the  emblems  of  mourning,  and  filled  by  a  sorrow- 
ing congregation.  The  servant  of  God,  who  for 
more  than  twenty-two  years  had  ministered  to  this 
people,  had  been  suddenly  called  to  the  heavenly 


146  FIRST  CHURCH,   ORANGE. 

rest.  There  were  two  coincidences.  The  first 
was,  that  his  pastorate  began  in  the  same  mouth, 
and  the  same  week  of  the  month,  in  which  his 
predecessor's  had  commenced  twenty-three  years 
before.  Had  the  installation  occurred  a  day  sooner 
the  coincidence  of  dates  would  have  been  exact. 
The  second  was,  that  it  took  place  in  the  same 
week  with  his  burial.  One  minister  at  the  altar 
was  just  carried  out,  as  another  was  called  to 
officiate  in  the  same  holy  office.  In  his  first  anni- 
versary discourse,  alluding  to  these  impressive 
events,  he  says :  "  I  was  taught  that  the  pulpit  is, 
like  other  places,  but  a  step  from  the  grave,  and 
that  I  should  do  with  my  might  whatsoever  work 
God  gives  me  to  do.  There  was  also  something  in 
such  a  juncture  of  events  to  support  the  faith  of  the 
church.  Ministers  die,  but  the  ministry  remains. 
The  Word  still  lives,  though  tongues  that  have  pro- 
claimed it  become  silent."  With  such  sentiments, 
he  entered  with  his  characteristic  energy  upon  the 
responsibilities  of  his  ministry  in  this  church. 

It  is  less  the  design  of  this  discourse  to  give  a 
connected  history  of  Mr.  Iloyt's  pastorate,  than  to 


DISCOURSE.  147 

furnish  such  recollections  as  may  illustrate  its 
character,  and  to  preserve  such  facts  and  incidents 
as  may  be  worthy  of  being  treasured  in  the  future. 
If  what  is  offered  may  prove  to  be  somewhat  desul- 
tory, it  is  hoped  that  it  may  possess  more  interest 
for  an  occasion  like  this,  than  a  continuous  history 
would  afford. 

I  notice  first,  the  valuable  contribution  to  the 
history  of  the  church  and  of  the  town,  entitled  the 
"  Mountain  Society,  a  History  of  the  First  Presbyte- 
rian Church  of  Orange."  This  book  was  the  out- 
growth of  a  resolution  of  the  Session  to  compile  a 
manual  for  the  use  of  the  members  of  the  church 
and  congregation.  When  the  manual  was  pre- 
pared, the  pastor  was  requested  to  preface  the 
same  by  a  concise  history  of  the  church,  with  a 
short  notice  of  its  former  pastors.  lie  accepted 
the  task,  and  entered  upon  its  execution,  not  know- 
ins:  how  larsre  a  field  of  historical  research  was 
before  him.  The  work  of  publishing  the  manual 
was  delayed  for  a  considerable  time,  waiting  for 
the  short  historical  preface.  It  was  finally  fur- 
nished to  the  Session  by  the  pastor,  with  the  state- 


148  FIRST  CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

ment  that  this  little  effort  had  so  grown  upon  his 
hands,  and  he  had  struck  so  many  historical  veins, 
before  unopened,  that  he  preferred  to  prepare  and 
publish  a  history  by  itself.  His  book  was  given 
to  the  public  in  1860.  It  was  the  result  of  much 
labor  and  research.  As  he  says,  when  writing  of 
it,  "  no  one  can  appreciate  such  a  labor,  who  has 
not  personally  undertaken  it.  The  letters  written 
in  the  way  of  eliciting  information  would  of  them- 
selves make  quite  a  volume.  Some  scores  of 
miles  have  had  to  be  traveled  in  the  parish  and 
its  vicinity,  to  gather  names  and  facts  and  dates. 
The  old  graveyard  has  had  to  be  visited,  its  dim 
monuments  patiently  cleared,  and  their  inscrip- 
tions copied  ;  many  an  hour,  or  series  of  hours, 
has  been  passed  in  the  company  of  these  silent 
memorials  of  generations  gone."  All  this,  with 
searches  into  the  old  township  records  of  Newark 
for  two  hundred  years,  and  records  of  Presbytery 
and  Synod,  involved  an  amount  of  time  and  labor 
which  led  him,  at  times,  to  regret  that  he  had 
undertaken  it.  The  result,  however,  is  the  pre- 
servation  of  valuable  material  which   would  very 


DISCOURSE.  149 

soon  have  been  lost,  and  furnishes  an  enduring 
monument  to  his  zeal  for  the  honor  of  this  ancient 
church,  for  which  his  name  will  be  held  in  lasting 
gratitude. 

The  Presbytery  of  Newark,  with  which  our 
church  is  connected,  has  for  many  years  past  taken 
a  special  interest  in  promoting  the  Christian  wel- 
fare of  the  German  population  within  its  limits. 
In  1861  a  German  church  in  Paterson  was  made 
by  Presbytery  an  object  of  its  regard,  and  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  procure  among  the 
churches  a  sum  of  money  sufficient  to  relieve  it  of 
its  pecuniary  burdens.  The  committee  consisted 
of  three,  but  it  proved  that  the  work  was  chiefly 
thrown  upon  our  pastor,  as  the  man  best  adapted 
to  secure  its  success.  He  entered  upon  it,  and  by 
exchanges  with  the  other  ministers  of  Presbytery, 
and  appropriating  to  the  effort  the  time  allotted  to 
him  for  his  summer  vacation,  he  successfully  com- 
pleted it,  creating  in  his  own  mind  a  deep  and 
lasting  interest  in  the  German  population.  His 
interest  and  efforts  for  this  class  of  our  fellow  citi- 
zens continued  while  he  lived.     It  was  a  remark 


150  FIRST   CirURCIT,   ORANGE. 

not  UDComraon  among  his  people,  that  Mr.  Iloyt 
had  German  on  the  brain.  It  was  more  true  that 
he  had  the  German  on  his  heart,  and  its  reflex 
action  on  his  vigorous  brain  secured  a  large  suc- 
cess to  the  cause  he  loved.  In  1864  the  Presbytery 
initiated  the  work  of  German  church  erection, 
fixing  upon  the  sum  of  eight  thousand  dollars  as 
the  amount  to  be  raised  among  the  churches.  To 
this  end,  Dr.  Poor,  late  of  Newark,  was  made, 
chairman  of  the  committee  of  Presbytery,  and  Mr. 
Iloyt  his  associate.  It  was  expected  by  Mr.  Iloyt, 
and  by  Presbytery,  that  the  chairman  would 
assume  the  chief  labor  of  the  work,  but  being 
very  providentially  laid  aside  by  sickness,  his  asso- 
ciate assumed  it.  During  the  fall  and  winter  of 
that  year  he  presented  the  cause  in  the  Second 
Church  of  Orange,  in  Caldwell,  Montclair,  South 
Orange,  Plainfield,  Mendham,  Morristown,  Bloom- 
field,  in  the  five  churches  in  Newark,  and  in  his 
own  church,  preaching  and  taking  collections 
fourteen  times;  the  pastors  from  these  different 
churches  filling  his  pulpit  in  the  morning,  and 
where  practicable  returning  himself  to  conduct  the 


DISCOURSE.  151 

second  service.  Dr.  Poor  remarked  to  the  writer, 
that  he  felt  deeply  disappointed  at  the  necessity 
which  disease  had  laid  upon  him  to  abandon  any 
active  agency  in  this  effort,  and  invited  Mr.  Iloyt 
to  present  the  subject  to  his  own  people.  "  When 
I  heard  his  admirable  appeal,"  said  he,  "  I  felt 
that  God  had  placed  the  matter  in  the  best  hands, 
and  that  its  success  was  assured."  The  Presby- 
tery passed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  committee, 
and  in  a  resolution  recognized  the  aid  which  this 
people  had  rendered,  by  generously  allowing  their 
minister  to  proceed  with  the  enterprise  through  so 
long  a  time.  "  One  effect  of  this  work,"  says  Mr. 
Iloyt,  in  writing  upon  the  subject,  "  has  been  to 
awaken  attention  to  the  heaving  masses  of  foreign- 
ers  that  are  displacing  the  old  American  residents 
of  our  large  cities,  and  to  the  pressing  importance 
of  such  mission  work  among  the  Protestant  Ger- 
mans as  will  engraft  them,  (which  may  easily  be 
done,)  upon  our  American  Protestantism.  It  is 
now  a  recognized  fact  that  we  have  a  great  work 
of  this  kind  to  do." 

As  a  preacher,  our  pastor  was  much  above  the 


152  FIRST  CHURCIT,   ORANGE. 

average.  A  Calvinist  in  his  belief,  his  views  of 
Christian  doctrine  were  remarkably  accurate.  He 
knew  exactly  what  he  believed,  and  could  defend 
his  faith  by  the  most  logical  argument.  His  dis- 
courses were  well  studied  and  well  written,  with 
passages  often  of  much  eloquence  and  power.  lie 
was  not  emotional,  but  presented  truth  in  so  clear 
and  logical  a  form  that  it  found  a  lodgment  in  the 
convictions  and  conscience  of  the  attentive  hearer. 
The  great  theme  of  his  preaching  was  Christ  and 
Ilim  crucified,  and  around  this  primal  truth  were 
drawn  the  powers  of  his  cultured  mind. 

Nevertheless,  possessing  great  force  of  character, 
with  strong  convictions,  and  with  moral  courage  to 
proclaim  and  enforce  them,  he  sometimes  brought 
himself  in  collision  with  those  whose  sentiments 
were  not  in  correspondence  with  his  own.  He 
was  inspired  with  a  broad  view  of  his  responsi- 
bilities as  a  minister  of  God,  and  with  enlarged 
and  accurate  ideas  of  the  relations  of  moral  and 
religious  truth.  No  considerations  of  personal 
popularity  prevented  him  from  meeting  the  de- 
mands   of    the    times.      Popular    errors,    vicious 


DISCOURSE:  153 

practices,  social  evils  and  national  sins,  met  their 
fitting  rebuke  at  his  hands. 

It  stands  to  his  honor  as  a  citizen,  and  as  a 
Christian  minister,  that  his  preaching  was  not 
always  popular.  As  was  said  of  him  by  one,  not 
a  member  of  his  congregation,  "  Mr.  Iloyt  was  a 
marked  man,  and  he  has  left  an  enduring  mark 
upon  this  community."  The  terse,  doric  record  on 
that  memorial  tablet  is  historic  of  his  work  :  "  lie 
died  in  the  discharge  of  an  honored  and  faithful 
ministry." 

lie  had  been  our  pastor  about  three  years,  when 

he  was  impressed  with  the  belief  that  the  insidious 
doctrines  and  evil  tendencies  of  the  so-called 
spiritual  manifestations,  were  exerting  a  disturbing 
influence  upon  the  minds  of  some  within  the 
bounds  of  his  own  parish.  Having,  in  a  place  of 
his  former  residence,  witnessed  the  distracting 
effects  of  such  teachings  in  the  breaking  up  of 
happy  family  circles,  the  insanity  of  their  dupes, 
and  the  destruction  of  the  solid  foundations  of 
Christian  belief,  he  deemed  it  to  be  his  duty  to 
meet  the  error  here;  and  on  the  19th  of  June, 
10 


154  FIRST  CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

1859,  preached  a  most  exhaustive  and  convincing 
sermon  upon  "  the  sin  of  seeking  unto  the  dead," 
from  the  passage  in  Isaiah,  viii  :  19:  "  And  when 
they  shall  say  unto  you,  seek  unto  them  that  have 
familiar  spirits,  and  unto  wizards  that  peep  and 
that  mutter :  should  not  a  people  seek  unto  the 
Lord?  for  the  living  to  the  dead?"  There  was 
some  diversity  of  sentiment  among  his  people  as 
to  the  propriety  of  discoursing  upon  such  a  sub- 
ject, and  some  were  offended,  but  the  Scripture 
instruction  which  it  imparted,  and  the  solemn 
warnings  which  it  contained,  settled  the  wavering 
minds  and  confirmed  his  people  in  the  soundness 
of  their  Christian  faith. 

About  the  year  1861  or  1862,  a  citizen  of  Orange 
and  a  member  of  his  church,  purchased  a  plot  of 
ground  within  easy  distance  of  the  centre  of  the 
town,  and  leveled  and  graded  it  for  the  purposes 
of  a  Driving  Park.  When  completed,  the  propri- 
etor, for  the  purpose  of  inaugurating  it  with  some 
eclat,  arranged  his  programme  by  offering  pre- 
miums for  the  entry  of  trotting  horses,  thereby 
inviting  the  attendance  of  the  habitues  of  the  race 


DISCOURSE.  155 

and  trotting  course.  Tickets  were  issued  and 
notices  posted,  to  render  the  occasion  as  popular 
as  possible.  The  proprietor  called  upon  his  min- 
ister, and  gave  him  a  ticket.  He  looked  at  it,  and 
said,  "  Is  this  a  respectable  affair  ?"  "  It  is,"  said 
he,  "  if  you  will  make  it  so."  He  did  not  use  his 
ticket.  What  his  thoughts  were  on  the  occasion 
may  be  judged  by  the  sequel.  The  Driving  Park, 
as  such,  did  not  prove  to  be  a  success,  and  a 
charter  was  obtained  to  incorporate  the  "  Essex 
County  Agricultural  Society,"  the  fairs  and  exhi- 
bitions of  the  same  to  be  held  at  the  Park.  Under 
this  charter  "  exhibitions  "  were  advertised,  in  the 
County  and  in  the  New  York  City  papers,  for  the 
4th  of  July,  1864.  The  entertainment  promised 
was  in  fact  that  of  a  completely  appointed  race 
course,  and  designed  to  be  so  perfect,  in  fur- 
nishing the  pleasures  of  the  race,  as  to  give  the 
Orange  Course  a  name  and  a  place  among  others  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  great  city.  On  the  third 
of  July,  it  being  the  Sabbath,  and  the  day  before 
the  exhibition,  the  pastor,  against  the  advice  of 
one  of  his  warmest  friends,  came  before  his  people 


156  FIRST  CHURCH,    ORAKCF.. 

with  a  sermon  on  horse-racing  ;  showed  the  evils 
of  the  race,  its  gambling  tendencies,  and  the  injury 
which  it  entails  upon  the  morals  of  the  community. 
He  then  took  up  the  history  of  the  proposed  exhi- 
bition for  the  next  day;  showed  that  it  had  not  a 
single  agricultural  feature  to  redeem  it ;  spread 
over  the  desk  before  him  the  large  posters  which 
advertised  the  race,  and  warned  his  fellow  Chris- 
tians and  his  fellow  citizens  of  the  iniquity  which 
was  about  to  be  introduced  into  our  midst ;  and  as 
a  man  of  God,  and  the  guardian  of  public  morality 
and  virtue,  lifted  up  his  standard  against  its  vicious 
and  corrupting  influences.  lie  preached  the  same 
discourse,  by  request  of  the  pastor,  in  the  Second 
Church,  in  the  evening.  This  bold  and  unusual 
measure  caused  much  excitement  in  the  congrega- 
tion. The  posters  of  the  race-course,  hung  over 
the  sacred  desk  in  the  nice  of  the  congregation, 
were  considered  a  desecration  of  the  place  and  of 
the  sacred  associations  of  the  day;  and  certainly 
they  did  look  a  little  out  of  place  ;  but  God's 
minister  was  behind  them,  and  made  them  the 
occasion  of  earnest  warning  to  the  people.     TTo\v 


DISCOURSE.  157 

far  the  faithful  minister  did  right  in  all  this,  and 
how  large  a  debt  of  gratitude  the  quiet  town  of 
Orange  owes  him,  may  be  estimated  by  the  fact 
that  the  writer  of  this,  and  others  now  present, 
heard  the  proprietor  of  that  Park  say  to  the  minis- 
ter a  year  or  two  afterward,  "  that  sermon  of  yours 
killed  the  whole  thing" 

Our  minister  was  a  decided  friend  of  temper- 
ance. "When  the  social  glass  was  offered  to  him, 
his  reply  was,  "  No,  I  thank  you,  I  am  a  Rechab- 
ite."  He  preached  a  series  of  sermons  on  the 
wine  question,  showing  the  nature  of  the  wines 
of  the  Bible,  and  their  uses.  The  discussion  dis- 
played great  and  very  accurate  research,  and  was, 
in  the  estimation  of  many  who  heard  them,  as 
exhaustive  and  profound  as  anything  which  has 
been  published  upon  the  subject. 

I  should  do  injustice  to  my  subject  and  to  the 
sentiments  of  those  who  hear  me,  if  I  did  not 
allude  to  the  relation  which  the  pastor  and  his 
congregation  held  with  reference  to  the  late  war 
of  the  rebellion.  This  pulpit  sent  forth  no  uncer- 
tain sound  during  the  nation's  trial.     The  pastor, 


158  FIRST   CHURCH,   ORANGE. 

who  had  resided  at  the  South  and  been  intimately 
associated  with  the  people  for  a  series  of  years, 
was  profoundly  impressed  with  the  deep  moral 
turpitude  of  slavery.  lie  regarded  it  as  the  guilty 
cause  of  our  civil  war.  Though  never  an  aboli- 
tionist, so  called,  he  was  too  true  to  every  moral 
obligation,  because  obedient  to  every  divine  law, 
not  to  recognize  the  moral  viper  which  had  struck 
at  the  vitals  of  the  nation.  Never  hesitating  to 
give  bold  expression  to  his  sentiments,  like  the 
patriot  Chapman  in  the  days  of  our  fathers'  revo- 
lutionary struggle,  he  roused  the  indignation  of 
his  people  against  the  enemies  of  our- government : 
and,  like  him,  he  stimulated  the  patriotism  of  the 
people,  leading  their  devotions  as,  under  discour- 
agements, they  bowed  in  humiliation  before  God, 
and  rejoicing  with  them  as,  for  victories  achieved, 
they  raised  their  songs  of  thanksgiving. 

The  doors  of  this  edifice  were  open  during  all 
the  war  to  welcome  a  community  seeking  unto  the 
nation's  God  in  sorrow  and  in  rejoicing.  Who  can 
forget  the  inspiring  peal  of  its  bell  as  it  rung  out 
the  victory  at  Fort   Donaldson,  and  the  spontaneous 


DISCOURSE.  159 

gathering  of  a  grateful  people  within  these  walls 
to  render  thanks  to  Almighty  God  for  His  mercies 
rendered  ;  and  who  that  was  oppressed  with  doubt 
and  fear  during  the  long,  dark  Fourth  of  July, 
1863,  will  cease  to  remember  the  first  ring  of  rejoic- 
ing which  sounded  forth  the  success  at  Gettysburg? 
Let  it  not  be  understood  that  the  other  churches 
and  congregations  of  the  town  were  not  in  kindred 
sympathy.  Almost  all  of  them  were  imbued  with 
patriotic  devotion.  The  loyal  sympathies  of  one 
of  them*  found  expression  in  the  erection  of  a 
flag  staff  beside  the  church,  surmounted  by  a  cross, 
beneath  which,  on  every  Sabbath  day,  the  nation's 
flag  was  unfurled — a  beautiful  emblem  of  the 
purest  loyalty— -first,  the  cross  ;  next,  our  country. 
At  the  close  of  the  war  the  session  of  this  church 
adopted  the  following  minute,  and  directed  that  it 
should  be  recorded  in  its  book  of  minutes  : 

"  We  deem  it  due  to  the  ancient  church  in  which  it  is  our 
privilege  to  hold  office,  to  place  upon  its  records  an  expression 
of  our  sentiments,  and  those  of  this  church,  relative  to  the  four 
years'  civil  war  now  closed. 

First.  We  record  the  fact  that  personally,  and  as  a  session, 
*  Grace  (Episcopal)  Church. 


160  FIRST   CHURCH,   ORANGE. 

during  all  the  years  of  the  war,  we  have  been  possessed  with 
an  uftswerving  Loyalty  and  devotion  to  the  Government  of  the 
United  States,  a  conviction  of  the  justice  of  its  measures,  and 
an  al  tiding  faith,  under  God,  in  the  complete  final  success  of 
our  arms. 

Second.  "We  rejoice  with  thanksgiving  to  God,  that  as  a 
result  of  the  war  our  land  is  purged  from  the  sin  and  curse  of 
slavery. 

Third.  We  bow  in  mourning  before  God,  while  we  recognise 

His  hand,  in  the  assassination  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  President 

of  the  United  States.     We  gave  him  our  individual  votes:   we 

remembered  him  at  our  praying  altars;  we  loved  him  as  a  pure 

and  honest  patriot;  we  revered  him  as  a  wise  President,  and  a 

far-seeing  and  cautious  statesman ;  we  hand  down  his  name  to 

the  future,  as 

"  One  of  the  few,  the  immortal  names 
That  were  not  born  to  die.1' 

Fourth.  This  church  and  congregation  have  cordially  sympa- 
thised with  the  pastor,  who  has  fully  represented  their  senti- 
ments in  his  outspoken  and  distinct  expressions  of  loyalty,  and 
in  his  utterances  from  the  pulpit  and  elsewhere  condemning 
the  rebellion:  in  his  prayers  tor  the  success  of  our  national 
arms;  and  in  his  recent  four  weeks1  Bervice  (in  Juno  as  a  dele- 
gate ol*  the  Christian  Commission  among  the  military  camps  in 

and  around  Washington. 

In  the  resull  of  the  war  we  recognize  our  high  national 
destiny,  and  are  profoundly  Bensible  of  the  obligations  Laid 
upon  the  Church  to  meet  the  responsibilities  of  its  high 
mission  in  this  new  era  of  the  nation's  history." 

Adopted  September  2,  18G5. 


DISCOURSE.  161 

The  results  of  Mr.  Iloyt's  ministry  indicate  its 
successful  character.  When  he  entered  upon  his 
charge,  the  membership  of  the  church  was  two 
hundred  and  fifty-three.  There  were  added  during 
his  ministry  about  two  hundred  and  eighty-three. 
The  numbers  brought  in  were  thirty  more  than 
the  number  at  the  time  of  his  settlement.  Those 
dismissed  from  the  church  numbered  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-three ;  fifty-eight  died  ;  three  were 
excommunicated;  making  one  hundred  and  ninety- 
four  removed  from  the  roll,  leaving  a  net  increase 
to  the  membership  of  about  eighty.  A  revival  of 
religion  blessed  his  labors  in  the  winter  of  1857-8, 
the  history  and  incidents  of  which  are  noticed  in 
his  published  history.  During  his  pastorate  the 
church  contributed  to  the  cause  of  religious  benev- 
olence the  sum  of  twenty-six  thousand  dollars,  in 
addition  to  the  amount  annually  raised  for  the 
purpose  of  maintaining  our  own  worship. 

The  official  changes  which  have  taken  place 
during  his  pastorate,  are  the  election  of  four  elders 
in  June,  1856,  whose  names  are  noticed  in  his 
published    history ;    and   five    others    in    1864-5. 


162  FIRST  CHURCH,   ORANGE. 

William  II.  Dayton  was  added  to  the  session  on 
October  16,  1864  ;  and  Edgar  P.  Starr,  Henry  N. 
Beach,  David  II.  McCoy  and  Andrew  Mason,  on 
September  24,  1865.  George  Lindsley,  Charles  N. 
White  and  Ilorton  D.  Williams,  were  elected  dea- 
cons June  26,  of  the  same  year. 

During  the  last  ten  years  the  church  has  fur- 
nished members,  chiefly  from  within  its  own 
limits,  for  the  foundation  of  two  other  church 
organizations,  which  are  now  in  successful  opera- 
tion. The  mission  enterprise  instituted  by  Elder 
James  Greacen  in  Orange  Valley,  was  in  existence 
when  Mr.  Iloyt  was  settled  among  us.  After  his 
settlement  a  commodious  chapel  was  erected,  at  an 
expense  of  $3,500,  on  ground  donated  by  a  mem- 
ber of  this  church,  and  on  November  1st,  1859,  was 
conveyed  by  him  to  "  The  Trustees  of  the  Orange 
Valley  Church,"  and  "  to  their  successors  in  office 
tor  ever."  Upon  the  completion  of  the  chapel,  and 
before  a  religious  society  was  organized,  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Hay,  who  was  then  a  resident  of  Orange,  was 
selected  ae  a  stated  supply  to  preach  the  Gospel  to 
those  whom  he  might  collect  together,  the  seats  being 


DISCOURSE.  163 

free  to  all.  His  success  in  collecting  a  congregation 
was  such  that,  in  the  spring  of  1860,  those  living  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  chapel,  and  all  others  desirous  to 
unite  in  the  organization  of  a  church,  and  who 
had  contributed  anything  to  the  enterprise,  were 
invited  to  assemble  for  the  purpose  of  effecting  an 
organization.  Upon  taking  a  vote,  it  was  found 
that  the  majority  was  in  favor  of  a  church  after  the 
Presbyterian  form  of  government,  and  the  meeting 
adjourned  with  the  understanding  that  the  society 
should  be  Presbyterian.  A  large  and  influential 
minority  favored  the  Congregational.  The  merits 
of  the  two  systems  were  thereupon  made  the 
subject  of  further  discussion,  at  a  meeting  called 
subsequently  to  reconsider  the  former  vote,  but 
without  essentially  changing  the  sentiments  of  the 
majority,  until  it  was  urged  that  if  the  society 
became  Presbyterian,  and  its  workings  in  the 
future  made  it  desirable  to  change  to  the  Congre- 
gational form,  the  Presbytery  would  interpose  such 
difficulties  as  to  render  a  change  almost  impossible. 
This  consideration  influencing  the  minds  of  many 
in  the  majority,  who  were  not  sufficiently  familiar 


MM  FLB8T   CHURCH,  ORANOE. 

with  the  Presbyterian  system  to  discover  its  fallacy, 
led  to  the  perfection  of  their  organization  as  the 
First  Congregational  Church  of  Orange.  Twenty- 
eight  of  our  members  took  their  letters  to  the  new 
church.  It  has  been  in  successful  progress  since 
that  time.  Two  years  since  a  large  and  ornate 
church  edifice  was  erected  on  the  ridge  to  the 
east  of  the  chapel,  where  the  congregation  now 
worship.  The  Sabbath  school  and  prayer  meet- 
ings of  the  church  have  continued  to  be  held  in  the 
chapel  until  two  months  since,  when  it  was  sold  to 
the  Romanists.  It  is  now  the  Roman  Catholic 
Chapel  of  "  Our  Lady  of  the  Valley,"  much  to  the 
disappointment  of  those  in  this  church  who  gave 
their  sympathies  and  willing  aid  to  the  self-deny- 
ing efforts  of  our  brother  Greaccn,  and  to  the  grief 
of  those  in  the  vicinity  who  contributed  of  their 
limited  means  for  its  erection.  Though  their  con- 
tributions were  relatively  small,  the  Master,  who 
commended  the  widow's  mite,  may  have  regarded 
them  as  "  more  "  than  those  furnished  from  abun- 
dant resources. 

The    Central    Presbyterian  Church   was   organ- 


DISCOURSE.  165 

ized  in  January,  1867,  seventeen  of  our  number 
taking  their  letters  for  the  purpose.  There  were 
many  excellent  members  of  both  the  Presbyterian 
churches  in  Orange  whose  former  associations  and 
sympathies  had  always  been  with  those  of  the 
other  branch  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  but  who, 
upon  settling  in  Orange,  united  with  our  churches 
and  cordially  gave  to  them  their  active  co-opera- 
tion. We  remember  them  and  their  Christian 
work  with  us  with  fraternal  affection,  and  we  give 
them  now,  as  we  ever  shall,  our  heartfelt  "  God 
bless  you  "  in  their  work.  The  rapid  increase  of 
our  population  led  them  to  believe  that  the  time 
had  arrived  for  another  church,  and  efforts  were 
instituted  to  that  end  towards  the  close  of  the  year 
1866.  The  inception  of  this  measure,  which  we 
now  recognize  as,  under  God,  an  abundant  suc- 
cess, became  the  source  of  great  mental  anxiety 
to  our  pastor.  Not  that  he  was  unwilling  to  see 
the  church  enlarge  its  borders,  and  put  forth  new 
efforts  to  extend  the  blessings  of  its  influence, 
for  few  ministers  have  a  spirit  more  liberal  and 
catholic  than  was  possessed  and  uniformly  exhib- 


166  FIRST   CHURCH,   ORANGE. 

ited  by  him ;  but  because  he  was  not  so  informed 
of  the  movement,  as  to  form  an  estimate  of  his 
own  hold  upon  his  congregation,  and  the  stability 
of  his  relations  to  it.  Naturally  reticent  and 
hesitating  to  confide  to  others  his  anxieties,  and 
thereby  kept  in  ignorance  of  the  true  animus  of 
the  enterprise,  he  magnified  it  into  one  which 
might  mar  the  welfare  of  the  church  which  he  so 
much  loved.  "  I  don't  know,"  said  he  to  one, 
"  that  almost  all  my  elders  may  not  go  out  from 
me."  It  was  unknown  to  any  of  his  friends,  or  to 
his  church  officers,  though  it  is  known  now,  that 
for  three  weeks  before  his  death  his  mind  was 
intensely  agitated. 

Notice  was  given  in  the  local  and  New  York 
papers  that  religious  services  after  the  Presbyte- 
rian order  would  be  held  in  Central  Hall  on  Sab- 
bath morning,  December  16,  and  every  Sabbath 
thereafter.  Sickness  in  our  minister's  family  had 
led  him  early  in  the  week  to  arrange  an  exchange 
with  the  Rev.  Dr.  Poor,  of  Newark,  for  the  Sab- 
bath. On  the  evening  of  Saturday,  after  dark,  he 
received  a  message   from  the   doctor  that  he  was 


DISCOURSE.  167 

confined  to  his  bed  by  sickness,  and  would  be 
unable  to  preach  for  him.  It  may  be  readily 
imagined  that  this  announcement  sadly  disap- 
pointed him.  A  break  was  to  occur  on  the  mor- 
row among  his  people  ;  he  knew  not  the  extent  of 
it,  nor  its  consequences  ;  and  now,  on  the  eve  of 
this  crisis  Sabbath,  he  was  left  without  any  prepara- 
tion for  the  services  of  the  day.  Having  selected 
from  the  material  he  had  on  hand,  a  discourse 
from  the  text,  "  Will  ye  also  go  away?"  he  left  his 
house  to  visit  one  of  his  elders,  with  whom  he 
remained  until  after  ten  o'clock.  This  elder  bears 
testimony  to  his  nervous  state  of  mind,  and  the 
exaggerated  view  which  possessed  him  in  regard 
to  the  condition  of  his  church.  He  returned  late 
to  his  house,  quieted  somewhat  by  the  conversa- 
tion of  the  evening,  and  retired  to  bed,  when  he 
was  soon  after  stricken  with  apoplexy,  which  so 
speedily  terminated  his  life. 

The  Sabbath  morning  opened  with  a  driving, 
blinding  snow  storm.  At  the  hour  of  worship,  his 
people  who  assembled  at  the  church,  and  those 
who,  for  the  first  time,  passed  its  open  doors  to 
worship   under   other   auspices,   met   to   hear  the 


168  FIRST  CHURCH,   ORANGE. 

startling  announcement  that  the  pastor  was  dying. 
The  occasion  was  profoundly  impressive.  The 
hand  of  God  was  manifest,  though  we  could  not 
read  His  purposes.  As  the  dreary,  storm-shrouded 
hours  of  the  Sabbath  wore  away,  the  mortal  part 
of  the  pastor  wore  out  with  them,  and  in  the 
evening  twilight  the  bell  tolled  the  requiem  of 
his  spirit  translated  from  the  storms  of  earth  to 
the  brightness  and  the  rest  of  heaven. 

Do  we  adequately  estimate  the  keen  sensibilities 
which  possess  the  heart  of  a  church  pastor  ?  I 
notice  a  coincidence  very  significant,  if  not  illus- 
trative. When  Mr.  White  died,  (he  was  attacked 
with  apoplexy,  and  died  in  twenty  minutes),  the 
last  of  his  intelligent  acts  was  the  reading,  in  the 
daily  paper,  a  notice  of  the  meeting  of  Presbytery 
for  the  installation  of  his  successor ;  and  so  the 
last  intelligent  conversation  of  pastor  Iloyt  related 
to  the  going  out  of  those  to  whom  he  had  preached 
and  lor  whom  he  had  prayed,  to  receive  the  minis- 
trations of  another. 

His  remains  were  borne  to  their  resting  place 
in  Rosedale  Cemetery,  followed  by  his  stricken 
people,  and  by  his  associates  in  the  ministry  from 


DISCOURSE.  169 

this  and  other  neighboring  towns.  The  beautiful 
apostrophe  of  his  accomplished  co-presbyter,*  as 
the  mortal  part  of  our  pastor  was  lowered  into  the 
sepulchre,  forms  a  fitting  close  to  my  discourse  on 
this  occasion : 

"Farewell,  precious  remains  of  our  departed 
friend  and  brother !  farewell,  till  we  meet  you 
again  at  the  glorious  resurrection  of  the  just. 

"  He  was  a  brother  beloved,  a  minister  able  and 
devoted,  a  Christian  marked  with  a  true  simplicity 
and  godly  sincerity ;  and  fearful  to  us  as  was  the 
shock  of  our  sudden  bereavement,  it  was  well  for 
him.  Sad,  weary  and  anxious,  with  burdened 
heart  and  bursting  brain,  he  laid  himself  down 
upon  his  bed.  In  the  unconsciousness  of  slumber, 
all  heaven's  glory  flashed  upon  him  through  its 
opening  gates,  and  he  went  up — 

1  Not  slain,  but  caught  up  as  it  were, 
To  meet  his  Saviour  in  the  air.' 
'  And  O  how  bright 
Were  the  realms  of  light, 
Bursting  at  once  upon  the  sight.' 

"Farewell,  dear  sainted  spirit!  Thou  hast  fought 

*  Rev.  Dr.  Stearns. 
11 


170  FIRST   CHURCH,   ORANGE. 

a  good  fight.  Thou  hast  finished  thy  course.  Thou 
hast  kept  the  faith.  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up 
for  thee  a  crown  of  righteousness. 

"  '  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  Heaven,'  says  an 
apostle,  '  saying  unto  rue,  write  '  Blessed  are  the 
dead  who  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth. ' 
'  Yea,'  saith  the  spirit,  '  that  they  may  rest  from 
their  labors,  and  their  works  do  follow  them.'  " 


? 


UPPLEMENT 


The  church  and  congregation  so  suddenly  and  so 
unexpectedly  bereaved,  were  taught  a  lesson  which 
still  abides.  It  was  humbly  accepted  by  them. 
In  their  subsequent  efforts  for  the  welfare  of  the 
church,  and  in  the  selection  of  another  pastor,  they 
have  relied  upon  the  smiles  and  the  guidance  of 
Him  who  in  His  divine  sovereignty  u  putteth  down 
one  and  setteth  up  another,"  doubting  not  the 
wisdom  of  His  purposes. 

Without  delay  an  effort  was  initiated  to  raise  a 


SUPPLEMENT.  171 

fund  for  the  benefit  of  the  surviving  family  of  the 
deceased  pastor,  which  amounted  to  Five  Thousand 
Dollars;    One   Thousand  of  which  were  cordially 
contributed  by   those  who  were  leaving  the   con- 
gregation, for  the  formation  of   the   new  church. 
A  mural  tablet  to  the  memory  of  Mr.  Hoyt,  was 
erected  in  the  church,  according  to  a  resolution 
adopted  at  the  annual  parish  meeting,  held  in  the 
month   of   April   succeeding  his  death.      At   the 
anniversary  exercises.it  was  also  announced  that  an 
order  had  been  given  for  the  erection  of  a  suitable 
monument  over  his  remains  in  Rosedale  Cemetery. 
The  Central  Presbyterian  Church,  the  corporate 
title  of  the  new  organization,  was  formed  on  the 
20th  of  January,  1867.      To  the  original  number 
(seventeen)  who  received  letters  of  dismission,  none 
have  since  been  added  from  this  church.     Their 
loss   to   our   church  was  estimated  less   by   their 
number  than  by  the  esteem  in  which  they  were 
held,    and    by    the    influence    they    had    exerted 
through  their  earnest  christian   co-operation,  and 
by  their  material  aid  in  promoting  the  interests  of 
the  congregation.     The  Rev.  Edward  D.  Yeomans, 
D.  D.,  was  called  to  the  pastorate,  from  Rochester, 


172  FIRST   CHURCH,    ORANGE. 

]ST.  Y.,  and  was  installed  on  the  2d  of  July  in 
the  same  year.  A  few  months  after  his  settle- 
ment, his  health  failed  him,  and  on  the  26th  of 
August,  1868,  he  was  suddenly  removed  by  death. 
The  church  soon  united  in  a  call  to  the  Rev. 
Alfred  Yeomans,  of  Bellefont,  Pa.,  a  brother  of 
the  deceased  pastor,  who  accepted  the  call,  and  was 
installed  on  the  9th  of  February,  1869.  The  con- 
gregation thereafter  purchased  a  manse  and  lot 
adjoining,  at  a  cost  of  $20,000,  and  have  erected  a 
chapel  at  a  cost  of  §15,000,  where  they  now  worship 
— the  chapel  forming  an  integral  part  of  a  plan  for 
a  complete  church  edifice  to  be  hereafter  erected. 
The  present  membership  is  about  one  hundred. 
The  most  cordial  christian  relations  have  character- 
ized the  intercourse  of  the  two  churches,  cemented 
as  they  now  are  by  the  re-union  of  the  two  branches 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  now  substantially 
accomplished. 

The  Rev.  Eldridge  Mix,  a  native  of  Atwater, 
Ohio,  was  installed  as  successor  of  the  late  Mr. 
Hoyt,  on  the  7th  of  October,  1867.  His  preliminary 
studies  were  prosecuted  first  at  Western  Reserve 
College,   and   subsequently   at    Williams    College, 


SUPPLEMENT.  173 

where  he  graduated  in  1854.  He  pursued  his  theo- 
logical studies  two  years  in  Union  Seminary,  N.  Y., 
and  one  year  in  Andover,  where  he  graduated  in 
1860.  He  was  soon  after  associated  with  the  Rev. 
T.  S.  Hastings,  D.  D.,  in  the  pastorate  of  the  42d 
street  and  Carmine  street  Presbyterian  Churches, 
in  New  York.  The  arrest  of  commercial  enterprise, 
consequent  upon  the  outbreak  of  the  civil  war,  led 
to  the  abandonment  of  the  church  organization  in 
Carmine  street,  thus  releasing  him  from  the  service 
of  those  churches.  He  was  thereupon  called  to  the 
First  Congregational  Church  in  Burlington,  Ver- 
mont, which  he  served  as  its  pastor,  for  five  years, 
and  until  he  was  called,  by  a  very  harmonious  vote, 
to  the  pastorate  of  this  church. 

The  present  membership  of  the  church  is  three 
hundred  and  fifty-seven. 

The  officers  are  as  follows  : 

PASTOR : 

ELDRIDGE      MIX. 

RULING  ELDERSt 
JONATHAN  S.  WILLIAMS,  WILLIAM  H.  DAYTON, 

SMITH  WILLIAMS,  EDGAR  P.  STARR, 

CHARLES  R.  DAY,  HENRY  N.  BEACH, 

STEPHEN  WICKES,  DAVID  H.  McCOY, 

IRA  HARRISON,  ANDREW  MASON. 


174  FIRST  CHURCH,   ORANGE. 

DEACONS : 
GEORGE  LINDSLEY,  CHARLES  N.  WHITE, 

HORTON  D.  WILLIAMS. 

TRUSTEES: 
HENRY  A.  HOWE,  Pres.,  GEORGE  LINDSLEY, 

FRANCIS  BACON,  Sec,  JOSEPH  W.  STICKLER, 

STEPHEN  T.  SMITH,  Treas.,  OLIVER  S.  CARTER, 

JAMES  H.  HEROY. 

The  Sunday  School  numbers — scholars,  356 ; 
officers  and  teachers,  32.  Total,  388.  Edgar  P. 
Starr,  Superintendent. 

The  contributions  to  benevolent  objects,  during 
the  last  two  years,  exclusive  of  the  current  ex- 
penses of  the  church,  have  been  as  follows  :  1867, 
$2,887  75  ;  1868,  $3,554  00  ;  Total,  $6,441  75. 


